The District Administrator Matiari Saqib Ahmed Soomro has directed the officers concerned to put their resources in the place and maintain the status of Matiari as Polio free district. This he directed while presiding over one day workshop on eradication of Polio menace held at New DCO Secretariat Matiari on Thursday.
All EDOs of the District Government Matiari, officers from Provincial Government, representatives from NGOs including Agha Khan Foundation, Health & Nutrition Development Society (HANDS), SHED attended the workshop. An effective strategy was evolved in the workshop to make 3-day anti Polio campaign to be started from March 7, 2011 as success.
After discussions and deliberations in detail, it was decided that two members team comprising Secretary each Union Council from DCO side and Medical Officer of each Basic Health Unit (BHU) would perform as focal persons in each Union Council of the district and to monitor the anti Polio campaign in their respective areas. Besides, EDO CDD has been assigned to convince to refusal parents, while EDO Education to provide female teachers for Polio team to have access to these teams inside the homes. Whereas, the NGOs of the area have been assigned to detect/identify the missing children so that same can be covered.
Addressing the participants of workshop, the District Administrator Matiari Saqib Soomro said that due to hard efforts made by his management and Health Department Matiari had being remained as Polio free district since September 2001 and stressed upon the officers to continue their efforts with same spirit. He said that during the anti Polio campaign, which would be commenced from March 7, 2011 to March 9, 2011 as many as 95,713 children under 5 years of age would be got vaccinated through 299 mobile, 42 fixed and 26 teams at transit points.
He said that the activities of these teams would be monitored by 69 area incharges and 10 zonal incharges, while special arrangements have been made to provide coverage to the missing areas as well. He directed the officers to maintain cold chain to ensure the viability of the vaccines. He warned the officers to be punctual, remain in the field with teamwork spirit, failing which action would be taken against them. The EDO Health Syed Hassan Murad Shah briefed the participants about schedule of anti Polio campaign and present status of the district Matiari.