LAHORE - The doctors’ fraternity has backed the government’s response plan to build children’s immunity against polio and has reiterated its support to polio eradication efforts in Pakistan.
This support was pledged at a workshop held at a local hotel in Lahore. The participants of the workshop included Ms Syedah Ramallah Ali, Punjab Emergency Operations Centre Coordinator, Dr Tipu Sultan, General Secretary of Pakistan Pediatric Association, and Dr Ashraf Nizami, President, Pakistan Medical Association and polio eradication partners. Speaking on the occasion, the head of the Punjab polio programme Ms Syedah Ramallah Ali reiterated the resolve to eradicating polio.
“Even though Punjab is polio-free since October 2020 and all environmental samples of Punjab are negative for the last 11 months, yet we cannot afford to be complacent,” the EOC coordinator emphasised.
“In the wake of a polio case, the upcoming polio eradication campaign starting from May 23 has been upgraded to the National Immunisation Days,” the EOC coordinator said.
“The government, supported by Global Polio Eradication Initiative partners, will continue to implement and adopt its national polio emergency action plan to reflect evolving operational and epidemiological realities,” added the head of the polio programme in Punjab.
In his address, General Secretary of Pakistan Pediatric Association, Dr Tipu Sultan hailed the efforts of government and health department in reaching and vaccinating all children, especially mobile and migrant communities as they are the ones who are ‘more at risk’.
‘Even though Punjab is polio-free since October 2020, we can’t afford to be complacent’
“The government’s response plan to build children’s immunity against polio is commendable. It is rightly energies on the vaccination of children belonging to high-risk and mobile populations, who, in addition to being prone to the virus, can also become carriers,” Dr Tipu highlighted. The PPA general secretary hailed the decision of the Punjab government to continue the vaccination of children during Eid Holidays and assured all parties that the PPA is ready to play its role in the eradication of polio. Dr Ashraf Nizami, President of the Pakistan Medical Association, expressed satisfaction on the strong coordination between the Expanded Programme for Immunization (EPI) and the Polio Eradication Initiative (PEI).
“Both programmes are continuing to collaborate and complement each other’s initiatives, working together for the longer-term goal of transition. The PMA will work closely with the PEI and the EPI programmes especially in high-risk areas to improve overall immunisation and tackle vaccine hesitancy,” assured the PMA president.
“Let there be no doubt among parents that only vaccination can prevent children from polio. Parents need to cooperate with polio teams in every campaign, so that Pakistan is declared free of polio sooner rather than later,” the PMA president reiterated.
At the end of the workshop, the Pakistan Pediatric Association and the Pakistan Medical Association announced task force members to support the government in polio eradication efforts. Members of the task force include Dr Ashraf Nizami, Prof Bushra Haq, Dr Naeem Zafar, Dr Shumaila Rafiq, Dr Tipu Sultan, Dr Nasir Raja and Dr Javeria Raja.
The task force will work to overcome resistance to polio vaccination, promote routine immunization and provide support in the clinical examination of suspected polio cases.
This support was pledged at a workshop held at a local hotel in Lahore. The participants of the workshop included Ms Syedah Ramallah Ali, Punjab Emergency Operations Centre Coordinator, Dr Tipu Sultan, General Secretary of Pakistan Pediatric Association, and Dr Ashraf Nizami, President, Pakistan Medical Association and polio eradication partners. Speaking on the occasion, the head of the Punjab polio programme Ms Syedah Ramallah Ali reiterated the resolve to eradicating polio.
“Even though Punjab is polio-free since October 2020 and all environmental samples of Punjab are negative for the last 11 months, yet we cannot afford to be complacent,” the EOC coordinator emphasised.
“In the wake of a polio case, the upcoming polio eradication campaign starting from May 23 has been upgraded to the National Immunisation Days,” the EOC coordinator said.
“The government, supported by Global Polio Eradication Initiative partners, will continue to implement and adopt its national polio emergency action plan to reflect evolving operational and epidemiological realities,” added the head of the polio programme in Punjab.
In his address, General Secretary of Pakistan Pediatric Association, Dr Tipu Sultan hailed the efforts of government and health department in reaching and vaccinating all children, especially mobile and migrant communities as they are the ones who are ‘more at risk’.
‘Even though Punjab is polio-free since October 2020, we can’t afford to be complacent’
“The government’s response plan to build children’s immunity against polio is commendable. It is rightly energies on the vaccination of children belonging to high-risk and mobile populations, who, in addition to being prone to the virus, can also become carriers,” Dr Tipu highlighted. The PPA general secretary hailed the decision of the Punjab government to continue the vaccination of children during Eid Holidays and assured all parties that the PPA is ready to play its role in the eradication of polio. Dr Ashraf Nizami, President of the Pakistan Medical Association, expressed satisfaction on the strong coordination between the Expanded Programme for Immunization (EPI) and the Polio Eradication Initiative (PEI).
“Both programmes are continuing to collaborate and complement each other’s initiatives, working together for the longer-term goal of transition. The PMA will work closely with the PEI and the EPI programmes especially in high-risk areas to improve overall immunisation and tackle vaccine hesitancy,” assured the PMA president.
“Let there be no doubt among parents that only vaccination can prevent children from polio. Parents need to cooperate with polio teams in every campaign, so that Pakistan is declared free of polio sooner rather than later,” the PMA president reiterated.
At the end of the workshop, the Pakistan Pediatric Association and the Pakistan Medical Association announced task force members to support the government in polio eradication efforts. Members of the task force include Dr Ashraf Nizami, Prof Bushra Haq, Dr Naeem Zafar, Dr Shumaila Rafiq, Dr Tipu Sultan, Dr Nasir Raja and Dr Javeria Raja.
The task force will work to overcome resistance to polio vaccination, promote routine immunization and provide support in the clinical examination of suspected polio cases.