Nationwide anti-polio drive to kick-off from August 13

ISLAMABAD: Federal government has decided to launch anti-polio immunization campaign in the country ahead of the month of Muharram from August 13 over security reasons, ARY NEWS reported on Tuesday.

According to sources in the federal health ministry, the campaign would be launched in 130 districts of the country including parts of the Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK).

“Three-day campaign will be launched in most of the districts,” they said adding that anti-polio immunization drive will last for five days in Karachi, Peshawar, Khyber and Quetta blocks.

The sources in the health ministry said that there would be a catch-up day during the campaign aimed at vaccinating children left behind during the drive.

Overall 34.4 million children would be administered polio drops during the campaign, they said adding 225,000 polio workers will take part in the drive.

The campaign will begin on August 13 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province, where 4.56 million children would be administered polio drops during the drive.

The polio immunization drive would be launched in Punjab and Sindh province on August 15, covering 9.26 million children in 41 districts of Sindh and 17.86 million children in 33 districts of the Punjab province.

Read More: Parents of 38,000 children refuse polio vaccination in Karachi

The anti-polio campaign will begin on 17 August in Balochistan and AJK, covering 2.1 million children in 25 districts of the former area.

The sources said that strict coronavirus SOPs would be followed during the anti-polio campaign as workers have been provided with adequate training for the purpose.

Moreover, the sources in the health ministry said that vitamin A drops will also be administered during the immunization campaign to the children between the age of six months to six years.