Efforts are being made to make Punjab polio free: Khawaja Salman

Lahore: The Punjab government will do everything in the realm of possibility to make the province polio free, said Advisor to Chief Minister on Health Khawaja Salman Rafique here on Tuesday.

Khawaja Salman Rafique visited the provincial Emergency Operation Center in the DG Health office and reviewed the progress made in polio eradication efforts. Director General Health Services Punjab Dr. Zahid Pervaiz, Director EPI Dr. Munir Ahmed and senior officials of the health department were present in the meeting.

Khawaja Salman Rafique said every case be investigated on individual basis. He said the issue of persistent refusals will be raised with the Chief Minister and it would be seen if the DCOs can be engaged and punitive measures be taken in such cases. The advisor to the CM also telephoned EDO Rawalpindi and inquired the coverage detail on refusals.

Director EPI shared that 4000 new positions were being created in Lahore and Rawalpindi to reduce dependence on volunteers and non-professionals in campaigns. Director EPI also suggested that blanket criteria of determining high risk UCs in the country needs to be revised and local context has to be the main yardstick.

He also stated Punjab was all set to introduce e-vaccs card that will bring data of every child online and this will curb fake reporting and track down absenteeism of vaccinating staff. It was also discussed that in light of new developments, renewed focus was being laid on Central Pakistan, especially the districts bordering other provinces where inter-province transmission of polio virus poses a threat.

The Advisor to the CM also gave thumbs up to the initiative of setting up Health Camps in selected UC which lacked fixed EPI centers. The camps, equipped with tailor-made kits, will provide all routine immunization services to population of the areas.