Three Days Polio Drive Kicks Off In Five Districts Of AJK From Tomorrow

PESHAWAR, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 20th Jan, 2019 ) :The three days anti-polio drive is scheduled to be kicked off from today (Monday) and will continue up till January 24 in five districts of Azad Kashmir including Muzaffarabad, Jhelum Valley, Mirpur, Bhimber and Kotly districts.

Around 420323 children below five would be immunized with polio drops through a door to door polio campaign, said Provincial Program Manager EPI Azad Kashmir Dr. Bushra Shams while talking to media men here on Saturday.

She said that at least 1225 patrolling teams, 236 fixed centers and 91 transit points have been established to ensure successful immunization and the fixed centers would remain engaged from 8:00 am up to 4:00 pm.

Dr. Bushra asserted that 123 zonal supervisors at union council level and 300 area in charge have been appointed to monitor the anti polio drive and beside the supervising the teams these supervisors and zonal in charge will also provide the vaccines and other necessary equipments to vaccinators.

Provincial Program Manager EPI informed that at this turn of anti-polio drive four districts of Ponch Division including Ponch, Sudhnoti, Haveli and Bagh besides, 6 Union Councils of district Neelum and Jhelum valley including union Council Chikar, Town committee Chikar, Leepa valley, Salmia, Bana Mulla and Khillana have been dropped from the anti-polio drive due to chilly weather and due to snow falls in these areas, the program has been postponed till the next announcement.

She observed that polio control rooms have been set up at district level in every concerned Deputy Commissioner offices, whereas the main control room has been established at the office of Provincial Program Manager EPI Azad Kashmir Central Plate Muzaffarabad where the day to day progress of the polio drive would be monitored and the complaints and other information regarding the drive could be given on the contact No.05822-920794, Bushra mentioned.

Provincial Program Manager EPI informed that WHO, Federal EPI Cell Islamabad and the officers of AJK Health department will also monitor the progress of anti polio campaign at central level.

Dr.Bushra Shamus appealed to the common citizens and different segments of the society including the parents, teachers, lawyers, Ulmas, government employees, laborers and traders to provide their coordination to polio teams visiting door to door for ensuring the drive success and inform the district control room on the above mentioned contact number or zonal supervisors regarding the possible deprivation of any child from immunization.

She said that it is worth mentioning here that Azad Kashmir has been remained polio free for last 18 years and it was only possible when media played vital role in spreading awareness among the masses besides, the government institutions including the departments of Health, education, MLAs, district administration, police, media and other walks of life had ensured their coordination in this regard.