Zafar Mirza urges nation to actively participate in anti-polio campaign

ISLAMABAD: Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Health Dr Zafar Mirza urged the entire nation on Tuesday to actively partake in administration of polio vaccine to children in order to defeat the menace.

He said that a five-day countrywide anti-polio drive in underway, while 2,65,000 anti-polio workers were taking part in the drive across the country.

“Government is taking concrete steps for the eradication of polio across the country, said PM’s aide Zafar Mirza in a statement on Tuesday.

He further said that govt had introduced  “Sehat Tahaffuz” helpline ‘1166’  to provide health-related information services to the people. Zafar Mirza said: “Through the helpline, people can obtain immediate assistance to their queries and concerns related to Polio and routine immunization services.”

It may be noted that a five-day countrywide anti-polio drive commenced from Monday to immunize over 39.4 million children. Around 2,65,000 anti-polio workers are participating in the drive across the country.

In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 6.7 million children under the age of five years will be administered the vaccine.

In the vaccination drive, 19.9 million children will be administered polio vaccine in Punjab, 9.26 million children in Sindh and 2.46 mln children in Balochistan.

In Islamabad 3,56,000 children, Azad Kashmir 6,90,000 children and in Gilgit-Baltistan 2,40,000 children under the age of five years will be administered the vaccine.

Secretary-General United Nations will also administer police vaccine to children in Lahore on February 18.

Read more: Five new cases of polio surface across country

According to reports, overall count of polio cases across the country had reached 134 in 2019 with 91 cases in KP, 24 cases in Sindh, eight in Punjab and 11 in Balochistan.

In the new year so far 17 polio cases have been reported across the country.

Terming polio eradication as a national cause and a collective responsibility, government officials have urged all segments of the society, donor agencies and government institutions, to make coordinated efforts to save the future generations from life-long disabilities.

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