A three-day National Immunisation to fight polio, a crippling disease among under-aged children, will be launched under the joint auspices of the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the Ministry of Health from September 27, with the financial assistance of the World Bank.
Besides federal and provincial health ministries, WHO, Unicef, Rotary International and a large number of other international NGOs-backed volunteers support the campaign. The World Bank has approved $41 million for Pakistan to purchase the oral polio vaccine. The money is part of an innovative financing partnership between the World Bank, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Rotary International, and the United Nations Foundation.
These organisations have formed the Investment Partnership for polio, an initiative to help eradicate polio world-wide. The loan to Pakistan will help the country's National Immunisation Program, which is working to rid Pakistan of polio.
In Faisalabad District, 2,727 mobile teams have been constituted for immunisation campaign, which would be reached each corner of the district during September 27-30.
In a meeting, which was presided over by DCO Faisalabad and District Government Caretaker Athar Hussain Khan Sial. It was pointed out that the mobile teams would administer vaccine to 1.145 million children.
EDO Dr Umer Farooq, while presenting a detail briefing, stated that 68 zonal supervisors have been appointed to check the arrangements and meet the objectives.
Meanwhile, a project assisted by Global Alliance for Vaccine Initiative (Gavi) costing Rs 2,478 million has already been in operation to improve routine Expanded Programme of Immunisation (EPI) over five years. The Gavi's support has led to the introduction of Hepatitis B for infants and support for injection safety. Three rounds of "High Risk Areas Approach" have been launched in 65 districts of the country where more than five million childbearing age women have been immunised against tetanus. These activities were implemented in addition to the normal EPI Programme.
According to a report compiled recently on September 13, 2005, a total of 1,219 cases of polio were registered world-wide of which, 419 were recorded in Nigeria, 26 Sudan, 29 India, 17 Pakistan, 4 Afghanistan, 3 Niger, 458 Yemen, 236 Indonesia, 15 Ethiopia and 1 in Cameroon.
According to update survey of Punjab, health agencies have detected six new cases in Dera Ghazi Khan, two in Khanewal, one in Multan and yet another in Rahim Yar Khan.
The anti-polio campaign was first launched here in 1994 when as many as 1,500 cases were detected, which prompted international donors into action who assisted Pakistan's health sector to combat the crippling disease.
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