Flaws in Anti-polio campaign: health department directed to take immediate measure

Chief Minister Punjab Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif while taking notice of presence of polio virus in Punjab here on Sunday has directed the Health Department to take immediate measures for removing flaws in Anti polio campaign. He also directed that implementation on national emergency action plan for polio eradication must be ensured and 2011 should be celebrated as polio eradication year.
Secretary Health Punjab Fawad Hassan Fawad has issued a circular pertaining guidelines and action plan to all the DCOs and ask them to personally monitor the routine immunisation programme and polio eradication campaign as well. The officers have been asked by the Secretary Health to involve school teachers both in public and private sector institutions for dissemination of immunisation messages through students to their parents. It has been further stated that vaccination teams should be facilitated while providing logistic support at all levels including the provision of additional vehicles for supervisors during the campaign.
The DCOs have been asked to engage Imams of Mosques for announcement of dates of polio campaigns and their support to the vaccination activities both through their sermons as well as personal presence at selective points. Support of Traffic and District police as well as engagement of boy scouts in an organised manner for vaccination of travelling children at transit points has also been obtained by health authorities in this connection.