Nationwide anti-polio campaign to kick-off from September 17

ISLAMABAD: The federal government has decided to launch the nationwide anti-polio campaign this month, ARY News reported on Thursday.

According to details, the federal government has completed consultations with the provinces on the nationwide anti-polio campaign.

The anti-polio drive will run in Azad Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan and four other provinces.

Sources in the Ministry of Health said, in the first phase, the campaign will be launched in 34 districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa from September 17 to 21, while the second nationwide phase, will commence from September 20 to 24.

According to sources, in the third phase, the campaign in South Waziristan will be carried out from September 27 to October 1, there will be a three-day anti-polio campaign and two days of catch-up campaigns across the country.

Sources said that 40 million children will be vaccinated in the national anti-polio campaign, children in the age group of 6 to 59 months will be vaccinated with Vitamin A and the aim of Vitamin A vaccination is to improve the immunity of children.

Sources said that the target for anti-polio vaccination of 20.42 million children in Punjab, 9.35 million children in Sindh and 6.9 million children in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has been set.

In Balochistan 2.53 million children, in Azad Kashmir 0.25 million children, in Gilgit-Baltistan 0.35 million children will be vaccinated against the crippling disease, while 335,387 front-line workers will take part in the national anti-polio campaign.