LAHORE: The Punjab Emergency Operations Center (EOC) has warned of a polio virus resurgence as the province enters the polio high transmission season in June.

The warning was issued by Punjab Emergency Operations Centre Coordinator Khizer Afzaal in a statement on Saturday, on the eve of a special polio eradication campaign starting from Monday (today) in six districts of Punjab, including Lahore, Rawalpindi, Multan, Faisalabad, Okara, and Mianwali.

“With the onset of June, we are entering the polio high transmission season, which means that the chances of children being affected by polio are very high. This is the season when temperatures will soar above the normal threshold, ideal for polio virus transmission. Also, Punjab is anticipating mass movement in the next three months due to school holidays and Eidul Adha, thereby increasing the chances of polio virus reintroduction in Punjab,” underscored the Punjab EOC Coordinator.

Noting provincial challenges, the EOC coordinator said that the movement of the population from core reservoirs was one of the major causes of virus importation in Punjab.

He unveiled a plan to prevent polio virus reintroduction, saying that Punjab was taking special measures to vaccinate children from priority and other populations. This includes setting up special vaccination camps at key transit points and shopping malls on Eidul Adha to disallow space to the polio virus, said Mr. Afzaal.

Punjab is further taking concrete steps to improve coverage of high-risk mobile population during polio eradication campaigns, Mr. Afzaal added.

He disclosed that Punjab would be implementing a special polio eradication campaign beginning from Monday (today), which would be held in selected districts of Punjab.

In Lahore, Rawalpindi, and Faisalabad, the campaign will continue for seven days, while in the other three districts, including Okara, Multan, and Mianwali, the campaign will last five days. In Rawalpindi and Okara, the campaign will be held in selected union councils only.

Over 40,000 polio workers and supervisors will participate in the drive to immunize 6.4 million children under the age of five against polio. This includes 3,459 area in-charges, 951 union council medical officers, and over 37,000 mobile polio team members.

Punjab Emergency Operations Center (EOC) has deployed experts from all areas to facilitate the implementation of the polio campaign in priority areas.

The Punjab EOC coordinator acknowledged the hard work of “our resilient and brave workers, especially females, who are determined to protect every child in the province from the crippling virus even during this intense heatwave.”

Mr. Afzaal stressed that the districts must meet every need of the frontline workers to ensure that the heatwave challenge is tackled, and at the same time, polio vaccine is delivered to every child.

“Multiple doses of polio drops offer the best protection against the polio virus. Every single child needs to be vaccinated in order to achieve population immunity and prevent virus circulation if we are to eradicate polio. Parents must welcome polio teams whenever they come to knock at their doorsteps,” stressed the EOC coordinator.

Published in Dawn, June 3rd, 2024