- Advertisement -
SIALKOT, Feb 04 (APP):Chief Minister’s focal person,Uzma Kardar reviewed the ongoing five-day national polio eradication campaign in Sialkot district and inspected the mobile and fixed polio teams in the field and conducted physical verification of finger prints of children and door-to-door marking of houses. She administered polio drops to children.
Chief Minister’s Focal Person on Polio Uzma Kardar said that out of 193 countries in the world, Afghanistan and Pakistan are the only countries where the deadly polio virus is still present and the emergence of 73 polio cases in a few months is alarming. Although there is only one case in Punjab, in view of which Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif has assigned me the duty of focal person on polio and so far I have urgently covered 32 districts.
Chief Minister’s Focal Person said that Punjab was surrounded by polio-affected provinces from all sides. Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Sindh, where polio cases are being reported, and the public is also coming to Punjab,which is why there was a risk of polio virus being transported. Keeping this in mind, security posts have been set up at the entry points of Punjab province and every child entering Punjab is being vaccinated.
She said that joint efforts are being made with Pakistan and Afghanistan to make not only Punjab polio-free but also Pakistan polio-free.
Uzma Kardar said that environmental viruses are clear in Sialkot district and it is good that no sample taken after 2022 has come back positive, but caution is needed now because this virus has the ability to travel with both adults and children.Therefore,we have to try to ensure that not a single child is left out of the polio vaccine during the campaign.
Addressing the Polio Review Meeting,Chief Minister’s Focal Person on Polio Uzma Kardar said that the primary role of the health department is to eradicate polio and the federal and provincial governments are providing them with all kinds of support.
Deputy Commissioner(DC),Sialkot Muhammad Zulqarnain Langrial said that a target has been set to vaccinate 7,95,877 children during the national anti-polio campaign and 2,879 polio teams will be formed to achieve the goal.