Altaf Hamid Rao,
MIRPUR (AJK): In Azad Jammu and Kashmir, the 4-day anti-polio drive began on Monday, during which more than 7.11 lakh children of under 5 years of age will be administered the anti-polio vaccine and Vitamin-A drops, official sources said.
In the capital district of Muzaffarabad, 1,24,249 children up to five year age will be administered anti-Polio vaccines and Vitamin -drops and for this purpose 359 mobile teams have been constituted and 58 fixed and 19 transit points have been set up by Polio Eradication Committee, official sources told this Correspondent on Monday.
A high level meeting of the state health department’s Polio Eradication Committee, held with Dr.Zahid Iqbal Awan in the chair, gave final touches to the polio-eradication campaign, which will continue till September 27.
All headmasters of government and provide schools will be part of the mobile teams. A control room has also been set up at the deputy commissioner office.
According to details, the AJK health authorities have set a target to immunize at least 7.11 lakh children under 5-year of age with the anti-polio vaccine throughout the area during the campaign to save the children from the disease of polio, a State Health Department spokesman told this APP here on Monday.
Highlighting the salient features of the three days anti polio campaign in AJK for immunization of children up to five years of age across AJK, the spokesperson said that over 2004 mobile para-medical staff teams have been constituted and whereas 397 fixed units and 124 transit points at prominent public places including buses and wagons stands were set up in all ten districts of Azad Jammu Kashmir including Mirpur, Muzaffarabad, Hattiyan (Jhelum valley ), Neelam valley, Kotli, Bagh, Sudhanoti, Haveili, Bhimbher and Rawalakot to administer the anti-polio vaccine drops during the three-day drive in entire Azad Jammu Kashmir.
The spokesperson said that AJK Health Department have made adequate arrangements to provide at least seven lakh anti-polio vaccine doses for the entire three-day drive across AJK.
At least 63 zonal supervisors will look after the campaign conducted by 481 in charges of different areas in AJK.
Besides, the parents will also got their children fed with the anti-polio vaccine drops at the fixed centers close to their homes including hospitals and district and tehsil health offices
The fixed centers have been set up at the hospitals, basic health units, rural health centers as well as various other spots to vaccinate the children with the anti-polio drops from 8.00 a.m to 4.00 p.m. The total staff involved in the drive including mobile teams comprising over 4500 workers, will visit door to door to immunize the children of and under 5 years of age during the nation-wide campaign throughout Azad Jammu & Kashmir.
The spokesperson underlined that there had been no any case of polio disease to any child was detected in Azad Jammu & Kashmir during last 18 years.