Over Two Million Children To Receive OPV Dose During Measles Campaign: Emergency Operations Centre

Emergency Operations Centre Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has decided to administer polio vaccine to over 2 million children in central districts of province along with recently merged sub-divisions Dara Adam Khel (Ex FR Kohat) and Sub Division Hassen Khel (Ex FR Peshawar) during the upcoming measles campaign starting from October 15.

PESHAWAR, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 10th Oct, 2018 ) :Emergency Operations Centre Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has decided to administer polio vaccine to over 2 million children in central districts of province along with recently merged sub-divisions Dara Adam Khel (Ex FR Kohat) and Sub Division Hassen Khel (Ex FR Peshawar) during the upcoming measles campaign starting from October 15.

The decision to this effect was taken in a meeting held here at Emergency Operations Centre Khyber Pakhtunkhwa with EOC Coordinator Abid Wazir in the chair.

Director EPI KP Dr Akram Shah, Team Lead UNICEF Dr Joahar, Team Lead WHO Dr Abdi Nasir, Technical Focal Person BMGF Dr Imtiaz Ali Shah, Team Lead N Stop Dr Ijaz Ali Shah were also present on the occasion.

The meeting reviewed all arrangements for administration of OPV dosages in seven districts of the province including Peshawar, Charsadda, Mardan, Noswhera, Swabi, Malakand, Kohat, sub-division Dara Adem Khel and sub-division Hassan Khel.

The special campaign is conducted in view of the positive polio case from district Charsadda last month where 19 months old Arsalan was diagnosed with polio virus but survived the attack due to good vaccination status.

The meeting was informed that 975 teams have been established at outreach centres besides 49 transit teams for the campaign.

It is pertinent to mention here that measles campaign will start across the province from October 15, 2018 and the special OPV doses will be given to children in the high -risk districts of the province during the measles campaign.

Speaking on the occasion, Coordinator Emergency Operations Center Abid Khan Wazir said that essential immunization was vital for the prevention of vaccine preventable diseases and for preventing child deaths and other disabilities.

He said that the government was making every effort to provide free of cost vaccines to the people at their nearest health facilities and the upcoming measles cum OPV campaign is an opportunity for the parents to prevent their children from measles and poliomyelitis.

He said that additional doses of OPV will boost the gut immunity of the children in areas where wild polio virus was circulating and was hitting children.

The country has recorded four polio cases in 2018 so far out of which three are from Balochistan while one polio case is reported from Charsadda district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.