LAHORE - Punjab Health Department has started three day anti polio campaign in the province on Monday. Around 18 million children below five years of age will be administered vaccine during the campaign.
Other than fixed centers, around 35000 mobile teams are taking part in the campaign. On the first day, around six million children are being administered polio drops.   
Underlining the importance of vaccination, Director EPI Dr Munir Ahmed urged parents to ensure their children were fully vaccinated. He expressed satisfaction at the number of people turning up for immunization of their children at the centers set up across the province. He also added that special emphasis was being laid on the immunization of migrant populations in Punjab in light of the trends being witnessed in the last few years.
Pakistan, Afghanistan and Nigeria are the only countries in the world battling polio cases currently. Despite a sharp rise in the number of polio cases in the country, Punjab managed to reduce the cases to only 3 in 2014.
Disease data project
Punjab Information Technology Board has initiated the project of compiling data of 26 major diseases in 145 government hospitals throughout the province. Chairman PITB Dr Umer Saif said that data of 5 million patients with their diseases has been computerized in all big and small government hospitals of 36 districts in Punjab so far. It would help to know that which diseases were spreading mostly in specific districts. He said that this would help formulate future policies for eradication of diseases, he added. He expressed hope that this program would prove to be an important milestone for purging Punjab of diseases.
Dengue precaution
Lahore Waste Management Company (LWMC) has launched a plot clearance campaign in the city to remove waste from some 1200 open plots identified during a survey held by company’s operation department.
The objective of cleanup operation is to reduce the chance of breeding of Dengue Larvae on waste heaps especially in less privileged areas situated in the outskirts of the city. The campaign is part of LWMC’s before time precautionary measures to control dengue epidemic in coordination with district departments.
Turkish companies Albayrak and Ozpak have also been instructed in this regard and heavy machinery has been allocated to successfully implement this campaign. Company’s Helpline 1139 working to redress cleanliness related issues has also been put on alert to facilitate citizens. “Complaints regarding removal of heaps from open plots will be resolved on priority basis”, says Khalid Majeed, Managing Director LWMC.
Moreover, communication department will hold massive awareness campaign across the city targeting schools, mosques, markets and other public places to sensitize citizens on precautionary measures to control the epidemic. Campaign will mainly be comprised of lectures, holding of walks, camping, public briefing and leafleting through door stepping. Major stakeholders from community especially students will participate in the campaign.