A new polio vaccination campaign is scheduled to start on June 17 (today). Health Department staff will go from door-to-door to vaccinate over 10.25 million children.
According to a press release issued by the National Emergency Operations Centre, 23 new polio cases have been reported in the country this year so far.
They were reported in Bannu, Hangu, Dera Ismail Khan and Shangla districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (K-P). In addition, three cases were reported from Mir Ali and two from Miranshah.
Besides K-P, three poliovirus cases were also reported in Sindh – two from Karachi and one from Larkana. In Punjab, three cases have been reported from Lahore.
The EOC statement said the special immunisation campaign was planned in all areas as part of efforts to eradicate the virus.
“Bannu division has been declared highly sensitive as half of all cases originated there. Right now, Bannu is our top priority,” said Babar Bin Atta, the prime minister’s focal person on polio eradication.
He requested all parents to play their due part and urged them to avoid fake news and propaganda against the vaccination.
