Anti-Polio campaign to focus not available, refusal cases  

RAWALPINDI: District Health Authority (DHA) has geared up to focus on not available and refusal cases of the previous campaigns in the upcoming anti-polio campaign starting from April 9 to April 12.

Talking to APP, District Health Officer (DHO) Prevention, Dr. Abdul Jabbar said the health authority would especially cover the 489 refusal cases of the previous campaigns to bring the cases down to zero.

He said the health department has faced resistance after the fake viral video on social media created propaganda against the anti-polio campaign; however the health workers have successfully convinced many of the parents to administer anti-polio drops to their children but still it needs to be improved with the cooperation of the citizens.

Jabbar said that more than 8 lac children were administered polio drops in the previous campaigns while the refusal and not available cases are small in ratio as compared to the vaccinated one. He said the citizens should realize that a single refusal to anti-polio drops can not only put their child’s future at stake rather jeopardize the health of the children of their neighborhood.

He informed that a delegation from the Technical Advisory Group (TAG), the highest international technical body advising Pakistan on the polio eradication programme, has suggested that the routine immunisation system in the country should be improved to check new polio cases.

DHO-Prevention said the TAG delegation head Chairman Dr Jean Marc Olive, also advised to focus on the refusal and not available cases in the city as they should be addressed on time to make anti-polio campaign a success.

While sharing the details of arrangement for Anti-Polio Campaign from 9 April, Jabbar said that a target to vaccinate 08 Lac 40 Thousand children of below 05 age has been set for which 221 UC MOs and 496 Area-in charge have been appointed.

Moreover, 2333 Mobile Teams and 287 Fixed Points and 119 Transit Points have been established, he added.   He further said that total 2739 teams have been designated for this task and health officers would monitor the progress of campaign, adding security arrangements have been made for the polio workers.