DERA ISMAIL KHAN, Oct 03 (APP): A 13-day typhoid prevention campaign began here on Monday to vaccinate around 171,000 children aged nine months to 15 years in 16 union councils of the district.
The campaign was inaugurated by Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC) Muhammad Iqbal Wazir during a ceremony held at the Police Lines. It was attended by Deputy District Health Officer Dr Farooq Betanni, EPI Coordinator Irfan Aziz, District Health Communication Officer Polio Program Taskeen Abbas and representatives of health department, UNICEF, and World Health Organization (WHO).
According to health department, out of 16 target union councils, 10 have been selected from Dera Ismail Khan Tehsil, including five urban and five rural – two union councils from Paharpur and one each union council from Paroa, Kulachi, Daraban and Darazinda tehsils.
Typhoid vaccines would be administered at community centres, private and public schools. Besides, the anti-polio drops would also be administered to children till five years of age.
The district administration urged the citizens to get their children vaccinated against typhoid as it was a deadly disease, adding the vaccine was safe and had no side effects.
Meanwhile, elaborate security arrangements have been made to conduct the drive in a peaceful manner and to make the district-typhoid free by reaching out to the target population.
