655,000 children to be administered anti-polio drops

RAWALPINDI: A five-day anti-polio campaign will start in Rawalpindi district from December 19 under which some 655,000 children under five-year of age will be administered anti-polio drops.

As many as 1341 mobile teams comprising officials of district health department, education department, teaching hospitals, police, population welfare, social welfare, works and services and civil defence have been formed, which will visit door to door to administer anti-polio drops.

This was told in a meeting held here at DCO Office to review the arrangements for the campaign which was chaired by Executive District Officer (EDO) Finance and Planning Saqib Minan.

The meeting was attended among others by Director Health Dr. Shahid Pervez, DO Health Dr. Khalid Randhawa, EDO Works and Services Muhammad Azam, DMS District Headquarters Hospital Dr. Muhammad Suleman, DSP Headquarters Tahir Sikandar and representatives of Education, Social Welfare, Civil Defence and NGOs.

DO Health Dr Khalid Randhawa told the meeting that along with mobile teams, 250 special vaccination centers in health centres and hospitals of the district would be set up.

Special counters would be at public parks, railway stations, bus stands, wagon stands, airport and other transit points where 83 teams would be available to administer anti-polio drops to the children so that no child up to the age of five years could remain unattended.

EDO Saqib Minan urged the people, particularly the parents, to come forward and play their role for the elimination of the crippling disease from the society. (APP)