Third nationwide five-day anti-polio drive begins today
According to Pakistan Polio Eradication Program, over 39 million children under the age of five years will be administered anti-polio vaccine drops across the country.
Around 285,000 polio frontline workers will visit house-to-house, observing strict SOPs for COVID-19, to ensure protection of Pakistani children from the crippling polio virus.
The parents have been appealed to contact Health Protection Helpline 1166 or message to Polio WhatsApp 03467776546 for any query in this regard.
On Sunday, PM's Special Assistant on National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination Dr Faisal Sultan said, “The government is committed to make Pakistan Polio-free. We are determined to close the immunity gap in children which had unfortunately widened because of disruption of essential services due to COVID-19 pandemic.”
“Ensuring timely and repeated vaccination of children is critical for us to reduce the immunity gap and protect them against polio. I therefore, urge all parents and care givers to ensure polio vaccination to their children during the campaign as well as in routine," he added.
Dr Faisal said, “I am confident, together we will achieve our target of making a safer, healthier and polio-free Pakistan for our children.”
During the campaign, the trained polio frontline workers will reach every child with essential polio vaccine while adhering to strict COVID-19 standard operating procedures such as wearing mask, using hand sanitizer, and maintaining at least minimum distance during vaccination. The campaign has been planned in synchronization with Afghanistan.
