Polio drive from 21 September in Quetta Division to target over 4.7 million children

QUETTA: A meeting of the Divisional Task Force was held under Quetta Division Commissioner Zeeshan Lashari. It reviewed the arrangements and performance for the anti-polio campaign starting on 21 September.

The meeting was attended by Provincial Coordinator EOC Balochistan Inamul Haq, Quetta Deputy Commissioner Mehrullah Badini, Quetta West Deputy Commissioner Munir Ahmed Durrani, Mastung Deputy Commissioner Bahram Khan, the DHO Quetta, the Deputy DHO Quetta, and representatives of N-STOP, the World Health Organisation (WHO), the National Programme, UNICEF and other bodies.

The Commissioner was given a detailed briefing on the campaign arrangements, formation of teams, security, availability of vaccine and coverage. He was told that environmental samples for polio taken in Quetta in August tested positive. The coming campaign therefore needs special attention on Quetta.

Campaign in 92 union councils

According to the briefing, children aged one to five will also be given protective injections along with polio drops during the campaign, to protect them from various infectious diseases. In Quetta Division, the campaign will run in 92 union councils and 9 tehsils. For this, 92 UCMOs, 500 area in-charges, 10,818 polio teams and 26 transit teams have been formed.

A target has been set to give polio drops to a total of 4,774,447 children in Quetta Division. The meeting was also briefed on the state of vaccination against malaria and other preventable and infectious diseases.

Commissioner Zeeshan Lashari directed that special attention be paid to low-performing union councils. He directed that zero-dose children be identified and given the vaccine without fail. He also directed that special attention be paid to children of migrating and displaced families, so that no child is left out and the target of 100 per cent coverage is met.

The meeting decided that action would be taken as per rules against UCMOs who fail to return vaccine during the campaign. Officers and teams were directed to submit reports on time, monitor field teams effectively, improve mutual coordination further, and trace and vaccinate missed children so that the campaign targets can be met.

Photo: Courtesy DGPR Balochistan