RAWALPINDI: After Afghan origin type-1 Wild Poliovirus (WPV1) was detected in the sewage sample in Rawalpindi, the district administration is launching a five-day anti-polio drive from August 7 during which over 800,000 children would be administered drops.

This was informed in a meeting presided over by Deputy Commissioner Hassan Waqar Cheema. District Health Authority Chief Executive Officer Dr Mohammad Ijaz and other senior officials of the health department were also in attendance.

The deputy commissioner asked the health authority to ensure that the anti-polio vaccine was administered to all children in the district, directing government officials to work for the national cause to save children from the crippling disease.

The officials informed the meeting that the district health department had made all arrangements and the drive would continue for five days, with two more days to be set aside for checking missing children.

Over 800,000 children to be vaccinated; DC takes notice of overgrown grass in graveyards

They said the assistant commissioners would supervise the drive so that no child was missed.

Giving a briefing to the deputy commissioner, the officials said the health department would form mobile teams that would visit door-to-door in all union councils of the district. Besides, they said, transit points would be established so that children coming from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and other areas were vaccinated before they entered the district.

They said basic health units, dispensaries and local government hospitals would also set up counters under this drive and special arrangements had been made for the security of the polio teams.

Cleaning of graveyards

Taking serious notice of the district council’s failure to clean graveyards, Deputy Commissioner Hassan Waqar Cheema issued a show-cause notice to the administration and suspended an official of the computer section.

He was chairing a meeting held to review the anti-dengue drive in the district.

Mr Cheema ordered suspension of the district council official for providing fake data during the anti-dengue drive and also issued a show-cause notice to the district council chief officer for not making arrangements to trim grass in graveyards which had resulted in the emergence of dengue larvae.

The deputy commissioner also directed that the relevant staff should remain present to deal with flood-like situation in the city areas, adding that in the wake of rains, there were chances of dengue virus spreading in the city.

He called on the health department to ensure fumigation in localities, especially in the low-lying areas of the city.

He said staff should be deputed in different areas where dengue mosquitoes were found during the ongoing anti-dengue campaign.

Published in Dawn, Aug 6th, 2023