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RAWALPINDI, Dec 14 (APP):The fifth and final anti-polio campaign of the year is starting from Monday, across the Rawalpindi district, with over 4,500 teams deployed to vaccinate approximately 800,000 children under five years of age.
Chief Executive Officer (CEO) District Health Authority Rawalpindi, Dr Ehsan Ghani, told APP that despite recent positive environmental samples, the district’s immunization efforts remain strong.
He confirmed the detection of poliovirus in samples from Dhoke Dallal and Safdar Abad sites, calling it an alert for the district and province, indicating ongoing virus circulation.
However, Dr Ghani said the district’s performance is satisfactory, with over 95% coverage achieved in recent campaigns. The target of vaccinating more than 750,000 children under five was fully met.
He added that routine immunization has been strengthened in 25-45 high-risk union councils, with strict instructions to vaccinators to ensure no child from birth to two years goes unvaccinated.
“During the recent Measles-Rubella campaign, Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV) drops were also given to children from birth to five years across the district,” he said.
The health chief expressed hope that intense interventions will turn environmental samples negative soon. He noted that samples from another sensitive site in Taxila have consistently remained negative.
Dr Ghani attributed the risk to high population movement, with a daily turnover of 4-6% from areas like Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, southern Punjab, Sindh, Balochistan, and within Punjab. “People from these areas often settle temporarily, and if carrying the virus, it can spread locally,” he explained.
Dr Ghani assured that all possible efforts are underway to make the district polio-free.