MIRPUR: The five-day nationwide anti-polio drive is making significant progress in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) as it enters its third consecutive day.
State health authorities have set a target to immunize a total of 720,172 children under the age of 5 during this campaign, which began on Monday. The goal is to administer the polio vaccine and vitamin ‘A’ drops to children in all 10 districts of Azad Jammu and Kashmir.
In AJK’s capital district of Muzaffarabad alone, over 117,000 children are expected to receive the polio vaccine, and vitamin ‘A’ drops without interruption until October 6th.
To achieve this, a total of 3,995 mobile teams comprising paramedical staff have been formed to visit households and provide the necessary vaccinations and drops. Additionally, 448 fixed centers have been established at local government hospitals and health facilities across 309 Union Councils in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO).
These fixed centers are strategically located at state-run hospitals, basic health units, rural health centers, and various other accessible locations to ensure the effective administration of anti-polio drops to children.
Furthermore, 169 transit points have been set up, each supervised by the respective area in charge. The State Health Department’s Polio Eradication Committee has taken extensive measures to ensure the successful execution of the polio eradication campaign.
In total, 941 area incharges will oversee the campaign at the Union Council level across AJK’s 35 tehsils and 309 Union Councils.
To monitor the progress of the campaign, a central polio control room has been established in Muzaffarabad, the capital of AJK, within the office of the Provincial Program Manager EPI.
Anti-Polio Drive in Mirpur Reaches Over 73,000 Children
The anti-polio campaign is also progressing effectively in the Lake District of Mirpur AJK, where more than 73,082 children under the age of 5 have already received the polio vaccine and vitamin ‘A’ drops over the past three days.
In Mirpur district, a total of 431 mobile teams of paramedics are conducting door-to-door visits in 28 zones, in addition to operating 42 fixed centers and 14 transit points to administer vaccinations and drops to children.
