5-day anti-polio campaigns starts across Pakistan

A five-day anti-polio campaign has kicked off all across Pakistan. In this campaign drive, over 260,000 frontline polio workers will administer polio vaccines to more than 39.5 million children under the age of five.

The campaign was inaugurated by Prime Minister Imran Khan on Friday, December 13. He vaccinated the first child of the campaign.

“All arrangements have been completed so that children can be immunized and stakeholders have been fully engaged to ensure that the campaign is successful,” said National Emergency Operations Centre Coordinator Dr. Rana Muhammad Safdar.

“I urge all parents and caregivers to ensure their children are vaccinated,” he added.

This time, a Sehat Tahafuz Helpline has also been launched under the campaign to assist the reporting of children who were missed out during the campaign.

In case, any child misses the polio vaccine, anyone can call 1166 for assistance.

As being reported, under this campaign, 10.9 million children in Punjab are expected to be vaccinated. Another 2.3 million in Sindh, 6.7 million in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and 2.5 million children in Balochistan will be administered the vaccine.