LAHORE: Chief Minister’s Focal Person on Polio Uzma Kardar has said that Pakistan and Afghanistan’s future as polio-free countries is inter-linked, reiterating that until the situation improves in Afghanistan, Pakistan cannot eradicate the virus.

She expressed these views during her visit to the Emergency Operation Centre of Punjab where she was briefed by EOC Coordinator Khizer Afzaal. Polio eradication partners also participated the in the meeting.

Mr Afzaal said more than 200,000 polio workers participate in the national polio inoculation drives all over the province. He said over a period of one year, the coverage in polio campaigns had shown improvement.

“From 89 per cent coverage in June 2023 campaign, the overall coverage has increased to 92 per cent in July 2024 Outbreak Response,” said Mr Afzaal.

However, the EOC coordinator said the closure of schools has affected the overall quality of campaigns.

Explaining Punjab challenges, he said that movement of population from historic reservoirs including Afghanistan towards Punjab may cause virus importation.

He said as a response the Punjab EOC has launched registration of migrant and transitory population so that all children are reached with polio vaccine. He underlined that Punjab was developing plans to cover all missed children.

Lahore and Rawalpindi have the highest high risk mobile population target all over Punjab. Punjab has set up 23 permanent transit points at key locations to vaccinate children on the move.

Published in Dawn, August 14th, 2024