RAWALPINDI, Sept 8: District Coordination Officer (DCO) Saqib Zafar administered the anti-polio vaccination to children on Saturday during the formal inauguration of the five-day campaign in the district.

The event was held at the district health offices at Khayaban-i-Sir Syed and was attended by Executive District Officer (EDO) Health Dr Zafar Iqbal Gondal, District Health Officer Dr Khalid Randhawa, District Officer Health (Urban Areas) Dr Ansar Ishaq as well as other senior officials, female health workers and vaccinators.

During the briefing, EDO Health Dr Zafar Iqbal Gondal said last year, not a single case of polio had been detected in the district and this status should be maintained in order to ensure provision of the polio vaccine to each and every child under the age of five.

He said a total of 1,672 polio vaccination teams had been formed, including 1,342 mobile teams and 77 teams for bus terminals and public places. As many as 12 teams have been deployed at the entrance of the district for next three months. He said that polio teams at the airport, at bus stands, and similar public places would administer the vaccine to children traveling with their parents. The health department has asked the Rawalpindi Station Commander to deploy army personnel to assist the polio teams in security sensitive areas.

He said that the department has declared all the teaching hospitals, as well as urban and rural health units as vaccination centers. 61 mobile teams will be deployed at parks to vaccinate children in public parks.