5-day national polio vaccination campaign kicks off in Pakistan
Three cases reported this year from Waziristan raise concerns among authorities
Islamabad: Following detection of three cases of polio this year, Pakistan on Monday started a five-day nationwide polio vaccination campaign to administer the polio vaccine to around 43.3 million children.
The Ministry of National Health Services (NHS) has synchronised the campaign with Afghanistan.
Pakistan and Afghanistan are the only two countries in the world where polio is still prevalent.
Earlier, the campaign had to be held at sub-national level or in selected union councils. But after detection of recent cases, it was decided that it will be conduct across the country, the ministry’s spokesperson said.
The campaign will be conducted from May 23 to 27. As many as 43.3 million children under five years of age will receive the polio vaccine. Around 340,000 frontline workers will participate in the campaign observing COVID-19 Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).
A supplementary dose of Vitamin A drops will also be administered to children during the campaign.
On January 27 this year, Pakistan marked a major milestone with no wild polio case reported for one year. But within the last few weeks, three cases have been reported in Khyber Pakthunkhwa’s North Waziristan .
Pakistan’s Minister for Health Abdul Qadir Patel who is currently in Geneva, Switzerland to attend World Health Assembly, in a video message reiterated the government’s resolve to eradicate the virus saying all possible steps would be taken to achieve the target.