Nationwide anti-polio drive immunizes over 44.2m children

Islamabad: Over 44.2 million children under five years of age were administered anti-polio drops during the five-day nationwide immunization drive.

According to details, a dose of Vitamin-A was also given to the children aged 6 to 59 months in addition to polio drops during the drive.

Minister for National Health Services, Regulations, and Coordination Abdul Qadir Patel said: “Pakistan has made great strides in the fight against polio, with virus circulation, reduced to only one small part of the country”.

Earlier on January 16, the first immunization campaign of the year began across the country to vaccinate children under five years of age against the crippling disease of polio.

Reportedly, over 100,000 trained and dedicated “Sehat Muhafiz” participated in the vaccination drive to inoculate the targeted children at their doorstep.

The coordinator of the National Emergency Operation Centre Dr. Shahzad Baig said high-risk districts will be top priority during the anti-polio campaign.

In Punjab, a five-day anti-polio campaign began in all districts, like other parts of the country.

The health authorities had set a target of vaccinating more than 22 million children up to the age of five years.   

A total of 84,500 mobile teams, comprising of 0.2 million polio workers were in the field.