The Punjab government is launching a polio vaccination campaign today, aiming to immunize 13.9 million children against the deadly virus. This initiative will see polio teams conducting door-to-door vaccinations in 15 districts across the province, marking a significant effort to halt the local circulation of the polio virus.
Campaign Details
The districts involved in this campaign include:
- Lahore
- Rawalpindi
- Faisalabad
- Attock
- Chakwal
- Bahawalpur
- Bahawalnagar
- Multan
- DG Khan
- Muzaffargarh
- Rajanpur
- Rahim Yar Khan
- Sheikhupura
- Okara
- Gujranwala
In Lahore, Rawalpindi, and Faisalabad, the vaccination drive will run for seven days, while other districts will have a five-day campaign. The last two days of the campaign in all districts are dedicated to vaccinating any children missed during the initial days.
Preparation and Strategy
The Punjab health authorities have concluded training for all vaccination teams, and experts have been deployed to monitor the campaign’s progress. Necessary vaccines and logistics have been provided to each district to ensure smooth execution.
To enhance the effectiveness of the campaign, Punjab’s polio micro-plans have been revised to focus on high-risk migrant and mobile populations. Teams are instructed to knock at every door, ensuring every child—including newborns—is vaccinated, particularly in areas with vulnerable communities.
Even if records indicate no children are present in a household, teams are required to verify and check for any visiting children to ensure comprehensive coverage.
Special attention has been directed towards improving the skills and capabilities of the polio teams through quality training sessions, emphasizing the importance of their role in eradicating polio from the region.
