RAWALPINDI: To enhance coordination in the anti-polio drive, Rawalpindi and Islamabad are collaborating to cover 34 Union Councils (UCs) in bordering areas. This joint effort aims to improve polio vaccination coverage and better address challenges and make progress towards polio eradication in these areas.

Though the anti-polio drive will formally be launched on Monday (tomorrow), the district administrations of Rawalpindi and Islamabad on Saturday inaugurated the drive .

Rawalpindi Deputy Commissioner Dr Hassan Waqar Cheema and Islamabad Deputy Commissioner Irfan Nawaz Memon gave polio drops to a child in Rawalpindi deputy commissioner offices. Additional deputy commissioner East Mehreen Baloch and area coordinator of the World Health Organisation (WHO) Shumaila Akbar were also present on the occasion.

After the inauguration ceremony, an inter-district border coordination meeting was held between the district administrations of Rawalpindi and Islamabad in which a briefing was given on anti-polio measures.

The meeting was informed that Rawalpindi district government has constituted teams which will administer polio drops to children at airport and on motorway toll plaza.

Furthermore, the two district administrations have launched an initiative to enhance polio vaccination efforts by creating a Google link and WhatsApp group for officials and medical officers in which they will share data on children who missed polio vaccination ot visiting from each others districts or cities

This collaboration aims to improve tracking and vaccination coverage, ultimately contributing to polio eradication efforts.

Speaking at the meeting, Islamabad Deputy Commissioner Irfan Nawaz Memon said they will ensure that every child in Islamabad receives polio drops, and all institutions give their 100pc in making the campaign a success.

Rawalpindi Deputy Commissioner Dr. Hassan Waqar Cheema said that the Rawalpindi administration is committed to eradicating polio, and coordination with Islamabad will further improve the results.

“This campaign is an important step to save children from lifelong disabilities, and the joint efforts of both the districts will definitely make this national mission a success,” he said.

Rawalpindi District Health Authority Chief Executive Officer Dr Asif Arbab Niazi told Dawn that the meeting discussed the problems in bordering areas of Rawalpindi and Islamabad.

He said that there were a total 34 union councils in the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad where the campaign to vaccinate every child will jointly be launched.

He said that some children in bordering areas of Rawalpindi and Islamabad usually left unattended due to territory issue, which will now be addressed by the two administrations.

He said arrangements had been made to vaccinate more than one million children of under -five that in Rawalpindi district. and we will leave no stone unturned to achieve the target.

He said they had made every effort to cover 38 high risk union councils in Rawalpindi district.

He said that as many as 3,737 teams had been formed including , 3,293 mobile teams, 299 fixed teams and 145 transit teams for the campaign.

Published in Dawn, April 20th, 2025