ISLAMABAD: Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Health Dr. Zafar Mirza has announced the resumption of the anti-polio vaccination drive in specific parts of the country from July 20.
Zafar Mirza took to Twitter today (Saturday) and said that the polio vaccination drive was being resumed as the coronavirus situation across the country had started to show improvement.
<335> As things are improving on COVID front we are resuming polio campaigns in specific localities from July 20. 2 days to go! All SOP’s of social distancing & safety of vaccination will be strictly followed. #NayaPakistanSehatmandPakistan #EndPolioNow #WarAgainstPolio pic.twitter.com/uYvrkYuDNZ
— Zafar Mirza (@zfrmrza) July 18, 2020
The Special Assistant further informed that all the standard operation procedures (SOPs) to ensure social distancing in the wake of COVID-19 will be strictly followed. “Measures will be taken to ensure safety during the anti-polio drive,” he added.
The polio vaccination drive will be resumed after four months of suspension because of the coronavirus restrictions. Door-to-door campaigns will be carried out in selected districts and the drive will also be utilised for creating awareness about Covid-19.
The polio vaccination drive will be carried out in Faisalabad, Attock, South Waziristan, and parts of Karachi and Quetta with a target to vaccinate almost 800,000 children.
Pakistan is one of two polio-endemic countries in the world. The other is Afghanistan. In the current year so far, a total of 59 polio cases have been reported, including 21 from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 20 from Sindh, 14 from Balochistan, and four from Punjab.
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