Govt decides to set up polio operation center
Operation center would administer polio vaccination program under health department in Islamabad.
ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – Federal government has decided to establish a polio operation center considering the alarming risk of polio virus in Pakistan on Wednesday, Dunya News reported.
The central polio operation center would administer polio vaccination program under the health department in Islamabad.
According to sources, the polio operation center would be set up in the secretariat and would remain in contact with health departments in all the four provinces. In case any new polio cases is recorded, the polio center would be required to send a team of polio vaccinations to the concerned region. Operation center would monitor the Health Executive District Officers (EDO) across the country and would also act as a coordinator between the global health organizations and the provincial health departments in the country.
Expanded program on immunization (EPI) head Dr Rana Safdar is the proposed president of polio emergency operation center. Sources have revealed that the operation center would make the coverage of polio in the country more effective and would also support in overcoming the gaps in the health system.
International health regulations committee had proposed to set up an operation center at the time of imposing travel restrictions in Pakistan. Initially, staff would be hired to administer polio vaccine whereas latest system for monitoring the coverage of polio would also be installed.
Lahore had been declared as high risk for polio after the virus was detected in environmental sample.
The sample was taken from a sewer near outfall road in the city.
Punjab health department has announced to launch anti-polio campaign in 73 union councils of the provincial capital from May 5, 2014.
During campaign, polio drops will be administered to the children below age of 5.
In Pakistan - the only country where polio cases are increasing - gunmen frequently attack polio workers, accusing them of being Western spies and part of a plot to sterilize Muslims.
In neighboring Afghanistan, a three-year-old girl was found in February to have contracted the first case of polio in the country s capital Kabul since 2001.
Afghanistan, Pakistan and Nigeria are the only countries in the world left where the virus remains endemic, largely due to violent conflicts, weak health systems and poor sanitation.
