LAHORE:The Punjab Emergency Operations Centre(PEOC) has announced that the polio vaccination campaign in the provincial capital will continue uninterrupted during the Basant holidays from February 6 to 8.
The PEOC emphasised that children’s health remains the top priority of the government, even during the festive celebrations, and that there will be no pause in efforts to ensure vaccination for every child. ‘Increased population movement during Basant will be an additional challenge for polio workers but the frontline vaccination teams will remain fully active despite festivities, crowds, and travel’.
The arrival of people from other provinces during the holiday period raises the risk of poliovirus resurgence in the provincial capital, prompting authorities to place the city on high alert to prevent any potential resurgence of the virus. To mitigate these risks, the Punjab government has implemented comprehensive measures.
Additional vaccination teams have been deployed at key entry points, transit routes, and major crossings across the city, while mobile teams and special vaccination check posts remain operational throughout the Basant festival. Polio teams have been directed to focus particularly on high-risk areas to ensure that no child under five years of age is missed.
The polio campaign is currently on its third day across Punjab, with teams continuing door-to-door vaccination activities. During the first two days of the campaign, more than 10.5 million children have been vaccinated.
In Lahore alone, over 590,000 children have received polio drops while more than 454,000 children were vaccinated in Rawalpindi and over 478,000 in Multan.PEOC Coordinator Adeel Tasawur said that the campaign is progressing successfully. He said that children are being vaccinated after counseling parents, noting that parental cooperation has been exemplary.
He urged the public to treat polio workers with respect and emphasised that ensuring the safety of female polio workers is a shared responsibility. He added that security arrangements have been put in place for polio teams and that teams deployed at key transit points have been instructed to remain vigilant.
