Over 23m children to be vaccinated against polio

LAHORE:Punjab Health Department is set to launch anti-polio campaign from December 16, 2024 (Monday) targeting 23.3 million children across the province.

According to a spokesperson, the campaign will continue in Lahore, Rawalpindi and Faisalabad till December 22, 2024, while in the remaining 33 districts, it will conclude on December 20, 2024.

This meeting chaired by Punjab Minister for Specialised Healthcare, Khawaja Salman Rafique, held at the Civil Secretariat on Wednesday to review the campaign's arrangements. Punjab Minister for Primary and Secondary Healthcare, Khawaja Imran Nazir, also participated in the meeting via a video link. Speaking at the meeting, he emphasised that polio eradication is a national priority requiring the collective effort of all provinces.

There is an urgent need to enhance cooperation between provinces to completely eliminate the poliovirus, he stated and directed the officials to focus on improving micro-plans to ensure 100% vaccination coverage. He expressed concern over the presence of the poliovirus in environmental samples.

The minister highlighted the importance of sustained joint efforts, noting that ‘controlling polio demands consistent and coordinated action.’ The Secretary of Primary Healthcare gave a detailed briefing, revealing that 85,000 mobile teams had been formed to administer vaccine drops during the campaign. International organisations working on polio eradication also attended the meeting and commended the Punjab government’s efforts in combating the disease. Deputy Commissioners (DC) from all districts joined the meeting via a video link.

UHS students visit Investigation Headquarters

Students from the University of Health Sciences (UHS) participated in a study visit to the Investigation Headquarters. SSP Investigation welcomed the students and provided them with an in-depth briefing on the various functions and responsibilities of the Investigation Headquarters. As part of the tour, the students visited different branches of the headquarters, gaining firsthand knowledge of the processes and systems employed by the police in criminal investigations. The students were provided detailed insights into how records are maintained and used for effective law enforcement.