Authorities directed to ensure 100 percent immunity against polio

Divisional Commissioner Hyderabad, Aftab Ahmed Khatri, while expressing his apprehension over eight polio positive cases in the division, has directed the Deputy Commissioners and health officers concerned to ensure 100 percent coverage in the three-day polio eradication campaign to be launched from July 18, 2011.
He warned the officers that strict action would be recommended against them in case of any negligence or missing the area from coverage. This he directed while presiding over a meeting regarding implementation on polio eradication campaign, to commence from July 18 to July 20 2011 in all districts of the division, held at his office in Shahbaz Building Saturday.
The meeting was informed that out of 14 polio positive cases, eight pertain to Hyderabad Division: three in Hyderabad, two each in Thatta and Badin and one case in Jamshoro district. The Divisional Commissioner directed the officers to prepare and implement a plan at the Union Council level and involve staff members of revenue, health, and education, local government departments, NGOs and even political workers and ensure 100 percent coverage of the campaign. He directed them to categorise most sensitive Union Councils and pay special attention on them. He said that each team must have the participation of Lady Health Workers.
He termed refusal cases big threat to the whole society, saying they cannot put whole society at risk because of refusal of few persons to immunise children. He directed the DCOs to prepare special teams comprising representatives from officers of revenue, health, PPHI, education departments, doctors, opinion leaders, religious scholars, political workers to convince parents for administrating polio drops to their children. He also directed that refusal cases should immediately be reported to concerned Assistant Commissioners/Mukhtiarkars at the end of each day so that same could be motivated on next day.
Khatri stressed upon the health officers to investigate the causes of polio attack on the fully immunised children and recommend steps to control the virus by all means. He directed the DCOs concerned that selection of teams and plan-updating should be done 10-days earlier of the supplementary immunisation activity and added that quality campaign of immunisation activities like NIDs/SNIDs must be 100 percent ensured. He directed officers concerned to maintain cold chain of vaccines and that unused vials should be returned to the supervisors on daily basis. He directed the health department to ensure availability of valid indelible ink markers for fingers marking of each case.
Earlier, Deputy Commissioners Dadu, Thatta and Hyderabad briefed the meeting about the measures adopted by them to ensure 100 percent coverage of anti polio campaign in their districts. Director Health Hyderabad, Abdul Jalil Bachani in his briefing informed that 15,37,527 children under five years of age would be administrated polio drops.