First Nationwide Polio Vaccination Campaign of 2021 begins

A five-day Polio Vaccination campaign has begun across the country to vaccinate over 40 million children under the age of five.

According to the details, a supplementary dose of Vitamin A drops will also be administered to the children aged 6 months to 5 years during this campaign to help build general immunity to protect them from polio and other diseases.

According to the Pakistan Polio Eradication Program, around 285,000 polio frontline workers will visit parents and caregivers at their doorstep, adhering to strict COVID-19 precautionary measures and protocols while vaccinating children.

Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on National Health Services, Regulations, and Coordination, Dr. Faisal Sultan in a statement, said the Government is committed to achieving the goal of a polio-free Pakistan.

In Punjab, forty-eight thousand teams have been formed to vaccinate over twenty million children. In Sindh, nine million children will be vaccinated and administered vitamin A drops during the campaign. In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, twenty-nine thousand teams will administer vaccines to above seven million children. In Balochistan, over ten thousand team will ensure the provision of vaccine to 2.4 million children in the door to door campaign.

Polio Vaccination teams will also be available at bus stops, railway stations, Afghan refugee camps, and other public places for the purpose.

Tight security measures have been taken for the security of polio teams. The program implemented six high-quality campaigns in 2020 with the support of various stakeholders and the dedication of our heroes, the frontline workers.

The frontline workers defied the devastating impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and safely implemented high-quality campaigns.

Dr Rana Muhammad Safdar, Director General of Health and Coordinator of the National Emergency Operations Centre, Polio Eradication Initiative (PEI) said that “In 2021, we are looking forward to sustaining the gains achieved in 2020.

Alongside our plans to conduct quality polio campaigns, we are continuing our efforts to enhance essential immunization coverage across Pakistan. Repeated campaigns are imperative to give a quick immunity boost to children under the age of five.”

It is worthy to mention here that the Polio Programme is working in partnership with various segments of Pakistani society including communities, local influencers, pediatric and medical associations, media, social activists, religious leaders, sports associations and the Pakistan Cricket Board, and many others. They are all supportive of vaccination and the goal of reaching a polio-free Pakistan.