Punjab is set to launch a wide-reaching anti-polio campaign on December 16, running in Lahore, Rawalpindi, and Faisalabad until December 22, while the drive will end in 33 other districts by December 20.
The initiative aims to vaccinate over 23.3 million children against polio. Provincial Health Minister Khawaja Salman Rafique led a review meeting to evaluate the campaign’s preparations.
During the meeting, Khawaja Salman Rafique emphasized that eliminating polio is a national priority, requiring coordinated efforts from all provinces. He stressed the importance of strengthening inter-provincial collaboration to fully eradicate the virus.
The health minister urged officials to improve the quality of the campaign and refine micro-plans to ensure complete coverage. He also highlighted the alarming detection of the polio virus in environmental samples, underscoring the need for continued, collective action to fight the disease.
Khawaja Imran Nazir, the health minister, noted that international organizations have praised Punjab’s efforts in combating polio. He announced the deployment of 85,000 mobile teams across the province to ensure that every child receives polio drops, regardless of their location.
The campaign’s goal is to protect every child from polio and contribute to the eradication of this debilitating disease.
