QUETTA: After almost a dozen cases of poliovirus in Balochistan since January, an emergency meeting was held in Quetta on Sunday, attended by the deputy commissioners of all 35 districts of the province.

The meeting was held to prepare a strategy for the fight against the polio virus, which has crippled 14 children in the country so far.

Balochistan remained an epicentre of the disease, with 11 cases reported from seven districts — Dera Bugti, Chaman, Qila Abdullah, Quetta, Jhal Magsi, Zhob and Qila Saifullah.

The one-day workshop, held for the deputy commissioners, focused on the ongoing poliovirus challenges in the province.

The event was attended by the chief secretary, health secretary, Quetta Division commissioner, Exp­a­nded Programme on Immun­isation coordinator, director general Health, Emergency Operation Centre (EOC) national and provincial coordinators and representatives of partner organisations and donors.

Issues such as the quality of the vaccination campaign, low immunisation coverage, and difficulties in reaching children due to other reasons were discussed at the event.

The participants were briefed on the seriousness of the polio threat, the current surveillance system, and the district-specific challenges faced during vaccination campaigns. The event provided insights into the polio programme and gave the officials essential knowledge about the challenges.

The EOC representatives assured full support to the deputy commissioners in conducting thorough vaccination campaigns, emphasising that such efforts were crucial for the eradication of polio.

The officials also highlighted that the success of the polio programme hinged on the quality of campaigns and the need to reach every child for vaccination.

They also stressed the importance of strong routine immunisation to build immunity in children.

The chief secretary urged the deputy commissioners to take charge of the campaigns and ensure their quality, emphasising the critical need to protect children and move closer to making the country polio-free.

He reminded the participants of the urgency of polio eradication efforts in light of the emergency situation in Balochistan, where polio cases and environmental samples indicate widespread virus presence.

Published in Dawn, August 20th, 2024