LAHORE: Punjab is set to launch the third round of the National Immunisation Days (NIDs) from May 26 to June 1, targeting vaccination of over 23 million children under the age of five against poliovirus across the province.

Mr Adeel Tasawar, head of the polio programme in Punjab, emphasises the urgency and strategic importance of this campaign, warning of heightened risks of virus transmission in the coming weeks.

“This is a crucial campaign that comes approximately just two weeks ahead of Eid, a time of increased travel and population movement, which raises serious concerns about the potential spread of poliovirus,” says Mr Tasawar.

“Adding to the urgency is the fact that there will be a long gap before the next campaign. We must go all out now to ensure maximum coverage.”

The campaign will run for seven days in mega districts, including Lahore, Rawalpindi, and Faisalabad, while in others, it will span five days.

Mr Tasawar issued a strong message to the field teams, underlining a zero-tolerance policy toward negligence, poor performance and data manipulation.

“No untrained polio team will be allowed in the field. We are particularly focused on persistently missed children and mobile populations (MMPs). These gaps must be addressed with urgency and transparency,” he says.

“Still-missed children remain a challenge. We must identify them honestly and ensure they are vaccinated. Intra-campaign clusters must be genuine, fake data will not be tolerated. Anyone entering false information into the system will face immediate action.”

He encouraged the staff and supervisors to raise issues openly. “Do not hide problems — bring them forward so we can solve them. We must know where the missed areas are. Effective coverage will only be validated by finger-marked children, nothing else.”

Amidst an ongoing heatwave, Mr Tasawar also stressed the importance of maintaining cold-chain protocols for the vaccine and prioritising the health and safety of the front-line workers.

“All teams must follow SOPs strictly, including the use of ice packs and cool packs. The safety of our workers and the potency of the vaccine depend on this.”

Reiterating the importance of this round, he says: “Given the upcoming Eid holidays and the gap until the next campaign, this round is critical to halting virus transmission. Every child vaccinated brings us a step closer to a polio-free Punjab.”

The Punjab polio programme urges parents, communities, and local leaders to extend full cooperation to vaccinators and ensure no child is left behind.

Published in Dawn, May 23rd, 2025