Pakistan: Efforts urged to maintain Capital polio-free status

Comprehensive arrangements must be made to achieve 100 per cent coverage for administering the children with polio drops during the forthcoming polio campaign to help maintain polio-free status of Islamabad. Chairman Capital Development Authority (CDA), Syed Tahir Shahbaz directed this while chairing the District Polio Eradication Committee meeting held here at CDA headquarters. Representatives of international organisations, which include WHO, UNICEF, UNHCR, Rotary International were present in the meeting. Representatives from allied government organizations, collaborating and assisting in polio campaigns like Federal Directorate of Education, Private Educational Institutions Regulatory Authority (PIERA), Federal Government Service Hospital, PIMS, Islamabad Traffic Police, Motorway and Highway Police were also present. The Chairman CDA said that polio eradication is foremost priority of CDA and we would continue efforts to maintain polio-free status of Islamabad. The Federal Capital has been a polio-free city since 2008 as no such case has been detected during the period due to enhance vigilance of the civic agency. He said that he would personally monitor the campaign. The meeting was apprised that hundreds of employees of CDA have been involved in the Polio Campaigns. In additions, CDA is providing logistic support during the campaigns. The CDA has established an Operation Room to intensify the monitoring and arrangements of the polio campaign. It is encouraging to say that the coverage of CDA in the previous campaign has been 97% as verified by WHO Independent Monitors, which is quite up to the mark. The performance of CDA is proved by the fact that every child is administered with the polio drops. He appreciated the efforts of the health services CDA in this regard. The chairman called upon the partner organizations to join hands in the polio campaign where their assistance is required. He said that he has directed other formations of CDA to extend full support during the campaign, especially in Kachi Abadies and high-rise buildings. Director Health, Dr Hasan Arooj presented detail overview of population coverage, high-risk areas to be covered in the forthcoming campaign on 15th to 17th October 2012. He said that for this National Immunization Drive (NID), the Directorate of Health has divided Islamabad in 15 Zones and constituted 574 teams to vaccinate the children. The teams have been headed by Medical Officers as Zonal Supervisors. Moreover, 108 Fixed Centers and 35 Transit Points have also been established. Dr Arooj mentioned that DHS has established a well-equipped state of the art Operation Room to monitor Polio Campaign vigilantly. With the support of Chairman and members, a double monitoring system has been established.