Week-long anti-polio campaign to begin from May 15

ISLAMABAD: Under the National Immunisation Programme, a week-long anti-polio campaign will kick off on Monday (tomorrow), where children under 5 years of age will be given polio drops in various districts across Pakistan.

According to details, a five-day-long campaign will be held from May 15 to 19 with the aim to immunize more than 2 million children to boost the immunity of children.

District Health Officer Punjab talking to a private news channel said that almost 12 districts of Punjab have been made part of the campaign including Lahore, Faisalabad, Rawalpindi, Bhakkar, DG Khan, Layyah, Mianwali, Multan, Muzaffargarh, Rajanpur, Rahim Yar Khan and Sheikhupura.

In Lahore, Rawalpindi and Faisalabad, the campaign will continue for seven days while in other districts it will last for five days.

All-out arrangements have been finalized by the National Immunization campaign against Polio to save children from the crippling disease of polio.

He said mobile teams have also been formed which would visit all the areas including the remote, far-flung areas, flood-affected areas and Afghan refugee camps areas in Islamabad and other districts to accomplish the task.

He also urged the religious scholars, NGOs and local community to make this campaign successful by involving their all-possible efforts so that the children of the whole district could be immunized against this crippling disease.

He said the private schools should also cooperate with the district administration in implementing the polio eradication programme.

The government should further accelerate its efforts for tackling polio by strengthening polio surveillance systems and ensuring high vaccination coverage during this time.