RAWALPINDI: Deputy Commissioner Dr Hassan Waqar Cheema on Thursday asked district health authority to prepare a plan within three days for anti-polio drive scheduled to be started on Feb 3.

He gave instructions that special attention should be paid to the anti-polio Micro Plan. He stressed on the importance of best cooperation among all the departments concerned for the successful completion of the campaign and directed to make every possible effort for the complete eradication of polio.

He said that this meeting reaffirms the government’s commitment and cooperation for the successful implementation of the polio campaign so that the path of polio eradication can be paved in Rawalpindi district.

He was speaking at an important meeting to review the arrangements for anti-polio drive. The meeting discussed in detail the special polio campaign against polio starting from February 3 to 9.

The meeting was attended by the Chief Executive Officer Health and District Health Officer (DHO) Rawalpindi, all District Deputy Health Officers (DDHO) of Rawalpindi district and other officials concerned.

The meeting was informed that anti-polio drive of 2025 from February 3 to vaccinate more than one million children of less than five years in the district.

National immunisation drive against polio in Rawalpindi district will be a seven-day campaign including two days allocated for catch up to reach the missed children.

A total of 1.57 million under five children will be reached for vaccination during the campaign in the district in an effort to save the children from disability. Despite significant progress, the threat of poliovirus importation from regions still affected by the disease remains a major concern.

Over 4,210 polio teams go door to door to administer polio drops to children under the age of five. More than 250 supervisors will also perform their duties in 212 union councils of Rawalpindi, while partner staff from WHO and Unicef will also supervise the campaign.

To facilitate effective execution, the Provincial Emergency Operations Centre has deployed experts to assist in preparedness and ensure the smooth implementation of the campaign.

Punjab has faced challenges, including one confirmed polio case and 75 environmental samples testing positive, with a 22pc positivity rate. Genetic analysis of the virus has shown both local and imported strains circulating.

Deputy Commissioner Dr Hassan Waqar Cheema said that the district administration is determined to make the region polio free. He said that District Health Authority will give top priority to eradication of polio, review the anti-polio campaign and ensure that the policy given by the World Health Organisation is implemented.

He said that the monitoring has been strengthened to improve the quality of the campaign through which the third party validation of the anti-polio campaign is done.

Published in Dawn, January 24th, 2025