QUETTA: Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Sarfraz Bugti on Monday launched a week-long polio vaccination drive by administering polio drops to children at a ceremony held at the CM House.
The initiative comes in response to a worrying rise in polio cases in the province, after a gap of 23 months since the last reported case in February 2024. So far, 27 polio cases have been reported in various districts, including Shaman, Dera Bugti. , Qila Abdullah, Jhal Magsi, Zhob, Qila Saifullah, Noshki, Loralai, Pishin, Kharan, Jaffarabad and Chagai.
The seven-day campaign aims to combat the rise in polio cases and the presence of poliovirus in environmental samples. A total of 11,600 vaccination teams, including 9,326 mobile teams, 904 fixed vaccination sites and 593 transit points, will participate to ensure that children under five years of age receive the necessary polio vaccines.
Speaking at the ceremony, CM Bugti urged parents to prioritize polio vaccination to protect their children from lifelong paralysis and disability. He said all available resources are being mobilized to ensure complete eradication of polio and make the province polio-free. Security measures have been reinforced to guarantee maximum coverage during the campaign.
Administer drops to children at a ceremony
“The anti-polio campaign is essential to prevent the spread of the virus and protect our children,” said CM Bugti. He highlighted that in addition to the polio vaccine, the campaign will also ensure that children complete their routine vaccination against other dangerous diseases such as measles and pneumonia.
Given the presence of poliovirus in the environment, the Prime Minister urged parents to cooperate with vaccination teams, stressing that their participation is crucial to safeguard the health of their children and prevent further spread of the virus.
The initiative comes amid growing concerns about the persistence of the virus in the province. Balochistan’s anti-polio campaign aims to address environmental pollution in several districts and curb the spread of polio, which remains endemic in Pakistan and Afghanistan. Polio primarily affects children under five years of age and often causes lifelong paralysis.
The inauguration ceremony was attended among others by Balochistan Assembly Speaker Abdul Khaliq Achakzai, Provincial Ministers Bakht Muhammad Kakar, Raheela Hameed Khan Durrani and Mir Liaquat Ali Lehri, Chief Secretary Shakeel Qadir Khan, Additional Secretary of the Interior Shahab Uddin and Inam-ul. -Haq, the coordinator of the Balochistan Emergency Operations Center.
Published in Dawn, December 31, 2024
