Anti-polio drive begins across Punjab

On the direction of Chief Minister Punjab Sardar Usman Buzdar, anti-polio campaign has been launched across the province. A special ceremony was organised with regard to launching anti-polio campaign at the CM's Office. Provincial Health Minister Dr Yasmeen Rashid, Provincial Housing Minister Mian Mehmood-ur-Rasheed, Chief Secretary Maj Azam Suleman Khan(retd), the Principal Secretary to CM, Secretary Primary & Secondary Healthcare and Additional Secretary Health inaugurated anti-polio campaign by administering polio drops to the children.

Sardar Usman Buzdar said that this campaign will continue for five days in Punjab being launched from today. Approximately, 20 million children below the age of five years will be administered anti-polio drops. More than 90,000 health workers and supervisors will participate in this special campaign.

The chief minister directed deputy commissioners to go out in the field in order to supervise anti-polio campaign. Parents should cooperate with anti-polio teams and get their children administered anti-polio drops, he added.

The Punjab will be made polio-free province and war against polio is the war for safeguarding future of infants in which triumph is the only option. We will safeguard our children from this fatal disease, he vowed.He further directed health department and district administration to ensure 100 percent implementation on the devised anti-polio plan and endeavours being made for the eradication of polio amount to Jihad.

"It is our responsibility to apprise the masses about the benefits of polio vaccine, especially to the parents," he said, adding: "No negligence and inefficiency will be tolerated during anti-polio campaign." Dr Yasmeen Rashid said that it is our national obligation to safeguard children from polio and every child will be given polio vaccine during current month.

Mian Mehmood-ur-Rasheed said that elimination of polio is our foremost priority and every segment of society has to play its proactive role for ensuring success of anti-polio campaign, he concluded.