Pakistan: Emergency operations centre set up at CM House to eliminate polio

http://mediacellppp.wordpress.com/

Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah has established an Emergency Operations Centre at the Chief Minister’s House to provide a strong platform for the eradication of polio in the province. The centre will comprise representatives of the WHO and the UNICEF and 11 officers of the provincial government, said a handout issued here on Monday. A notification issued by the Sindh CM’s Principal Secretary stated that Deputy Secretary Fayaz Ahmed Jatoi will remain in contact with other members for coordination with the CM Secretariat. Besides, Project Director EPI Mazhar Ali will supervise immunization and VDP surveillance. The World Health Organisation (WHO) team leader Dr. Saleh, besides surveillance and immunization activities, will hold training workshops and capacity building programmes with Dr. Shaukat Chandio. Dr. Shaukat will also supervise social mobilization and communication in sensitive areas. District polio control rooms will also be set up where FELTP/N-STOP’s Dr. Manzoor Memon will coordinate with EPO. The Emergency Operations Centre will provide a strong platform with the coordination of several international organisations and it will play a vital role for the eradication of polio with the cooperation and coordination of national emergency centre, armed forces, parliamentarians, religious leaders and other stakeholders. The Emergency Operations Centre will gather relevant data with regard to polio-affected areas to devise a strategy to eliminate polio from the province forever.