QUETTA: A four-day polio vaccination campaign will be launched in selective union councils of Quetta district on Monday (today), after a four-month suspension due to Covid-19 pandemic.

Initially, the focus will be on those union councils of Quetta district where major sewage network is located. Due to a long gap caused by Covid-19 lockdowns, the environmental samples collected from these areas have been tested positive for poliovirus, indicating active virus circulation which poses a threat to children under the age of five.

“During the campaign, more than 110,000 children will be vaccinated against polio,” Rashid Razzaq, coordinator of the Emergency Operation Centre, said. “Preparations for lunching the campaign have been completed. As many as 541 teams will participate in the campaign, including 395 mobile teams and 34 fixed teams.

“We are ensuring compliance to the guidelines and standard operating procedures proposed by the government of Balochistan and the World Health Organisation. Essential items like sanitizers and face masks have been provided to the polio teams while more than 500 polio workers have also been trained on how to prevent the spread of coronavirus. Temperature of each and every frontline worker will be checked before him/her going into field.”

Published in Dawn, July 20th, 2020