ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: Around 862 million doses of Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV) were administered to all children under five years of age across Pakistan through National and Sub-National (SNIDs) supplementary immunization activities conducted during 2013 to 2015.
As the programme aims at complete eradication of virus, all children under five years of age are accessed through door to door strategy, covering all villages and even households.
As per data issued by National Health Services Division, nationwide campaign involves around 85,041 mobile and 5,125 transit teams, a total of 6697 fixed sites support vaccine and logistics for the activity.
In order to access each village during every campaign detailed micro plans are worked out at Union Council level. Within the micro plan, teams comprising two members each are also guided about their daily work and route to be taken.
The data further showed that adequate arrangements are therefore, in place to cover all villages targeted during a particular campaign.
The polio teams comprising officials from the health, education, security and other government departments as well as volunteers record all children that could not be vaccinated during first visit for being not-available or refusal as the case may be.
With regard to strategy being pursued to ensure vaccination of missed children, the data showed that the teams revisit the missed households on same day of three-day campaign to covering missed children and update record accordingly.
The 4th and if required 5th day of the campaign is utilized to cover the remaining missed children.
The children that remain still-missed, are covered up by health officials and WHO/UNICEF staff during the 14 days extended catch-up period.
The community influencers and religious leaders are also engaged to vaccinate the recorded refusals as required during the process.
The above operation is completed by using around 223,000 personnel in every nationwide campaign including 19,211 Area lncharges, 9,792 Union Council Medical Officers, 85,041 Mobile, 9,995 Fixed and 5,125 Transit Teams.
Source: APP
