LAHORE: The Punjab government has decided to launch a door-to-door corona vaccination campaign from July 26 (tomorrow) in five divisions of Punjab included Lahore, Faisalabad, Gujranwala, Multan and Rawalpindi.

The decision was taken jointly by Provincial Minister for Health Dr Yasmin Rashid and the Chief Secretary Punjab at the Civil Secretariat here on Saturday.

The senior member board of revenue, additional chief secretary (home), administrative secretaries of both the health departments, deputy commissioner Lahore, director general public relations and concerned officers were also present on the occasion.

The commissioners and deputy commissioners of Faisalabad, Gujranwala, Multan and Rawalpindi participated through the video link.

Provincial Minister Dr Yasmin Rashid speaking on the occasion, said that the National Command and Operation Center (NCOC) has set a target of vaccinating 40 percent of the population over 18 years of age in Lahore, Faisalabad, Gujranwala, Multan and 70 percent of Rawalpindi population by August 14. She directed that the number of drive-through vaccination centers in Lahore be increased to facilitate more people. She maintained that vaccination and compliance with SOPs is the only solution to ward off coronavirus.

The Chief Secretary Punjab said that the vaccination targets set by the NCOC would be achieved and mobile teams would be formed for door-to-door vaccination. He said that the citizens should continue to follow the precautionary measures along with vaccination. The Chief Secretary directed the administration and the police to extend full cooperation to the teams of the health department during the special campaign. He also issued instructions to set up vaccination camps in the vicinity of all teaching hospitals.

The Secretary Primary Health said that the health department has prepared a micro-plan for the special vaccination campaign and two mobile teams would work in each union council for door-to-door vaccination. She mentioned that 566 teams in Faisalabad, 224 in Gujranwala, 250 in Multan, 356 in Rawalpindi and 528 teams in Lahore would be formed to administer vaccines at doorsteps. She said that with the special door-to-door campaign, the process of administering vaccines at vaccination centers would continue as usual.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021