Anti-polio drive achieves 95.3pc of main target

ISLAMABAD (92 News) - The recent anti-polio campaign achieved approximately 95.3 per cent of the its main target. According to Health Ministry sources, the recent anti-polio drive was launched in 130 districts of the four provinces within country, including Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK). The anti-polio drive was continued from August 13 to 21. In most districts, the three-day polio drive was launched for three days and the fourth day was being reserved for catch-up cases. A five-day anti-polio campaign was organized in Karachi, Peshawar, Khyber and Quetta blocks. It is pertinent to mention here that the target of the anti-polio drive was 336,62,764 children, while 95.3pc of its target was achieved as 320, 72, 212 children below the age of five were immunised with the vaccine in five days campaign. The sources also stated that 15, 90,553 children were deprived from vaccination in the recent anti-polio drive. However, the success rate of polio campaign in Sindh was 98 per cent, the success rate of polio campaign in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was 97.8% and the success rate of campaign in Azad Kashmir was 96.5%. Meanwhile, the success rate of anti-polio campaign in Punjab was 94 per cent as well as in Balochistan was 89.8 per cent. Rains, floods affected the polio drive in Balochistan, 31 million children were vaccinated with vitamin A during the polio campaign, 225,000 workers participated in the sub-polio campaign. The Health Ministry sources further informed that 23,934 area in-charges, 7,049 UC medical officers, 1,72,992 mobile vehicles, 8,484 fixed and 7,278 transit teams participated in the recent anti-polio drive. Earlier, the previous anti-polio drive was halted due to novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, however, it was resumed on August 13.