Three-day Anti-polio Drive From 24th

LAHORE, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 23rd Sep, 2018 ) :Nationwide fourth and last National Immunization Drive of the current year under the Health Department is set to be kicked off from September 24 (Monday) which would continue till September 26.

Minister for Health Dr Yasmin Rashid said here Sunday that elimination of polio was top priority of the Punjab government and anti-polio drive would be observed according to the plan.

Reaching out every child for vaccination was absolutely critical in order to ensure that no more child suffers from the incurable disease, she added and vowed to make Pakistan polio-free with missionary zeal.

She also appealed parents and teachers to become 'helping hands' in anti-polio drive.

Punjab's Emergency Operation Coordinator for polio eradication Dr Munir Ahmed also said that Pakistan was very close to eradicate polio thanks to frequent anti polio drives. However, he pointed out that consistent positive environment samples in Rawalpindi and Lahore indicated that children were still at risk in certain areas.

The provincial emergency operations centre has constituted over 45,000 teams for door-to-door vaccination and over 19 million children under-five years would be reached all over the province, he said. The health department also set up special toll free helpline 0800-99000 for any information regarding anti-polio vaccination.