Over 0.29m kids to be vaccinated in 19 districts of KP refugees camps

PESHAWAR, Mar 23 (APP):A five-day Outbreak Response campaign (OBR-2) has been planned in 19 districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa having Afghan Refugees Camps and union councils bordering Afghanistan from March 24, 2022.

This was decided in a meeting held here the other day at Emergency Operations Center Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (EOC) with Deputy Coordinator EOC Zamin Khan in the chair, said a press release issued on Wednesday.

Provincial Team Lead UNICEF, Dr Andrew Etsano, Provincial Team Lead WHO, Dr Gedi Mohamed, Provincial Team Lead N Stop Dr Hafizullah, Technical Focal Person EOC, Dr Imtiaz and officials of health department were also present on the occasion.

The meeting was informed that OBR-2 will be conducted in 85 Union Councils of 19 districts of the province out of which 13 districts have Afghan Refugees camps while seven districts have borders with the neighboring Afghanistan.

In a brief presentation, Deputy Coordinator EOC was informed that more than 0.29 eligible children will be administered polio drops in the upcoming OBR-2 campaign in Bajaur, Bunir, Charsadda, Chitral Upper and Lower, Dir Upper and Lower, Hangu, Haripur, Khyber, Kohat, Kurram, Malakand, Mansehra, Mardan, Mohmand, Nowshera, Peshawar and Swabi.

To execute the campaign a total of 1066 total teams have been constituted out of which 928 are mobile teams, 100 fixed teams, 36 transit teams and 2 roaming teams, the meeting was informed.

Likewise, to ensure quality of the campaign 266 Area Incharges have been deployed while strict security measures have been taken for safety and security of the teams.

The meeting was told that all necessary operational, communications and security measures have been taken to ensure smooth conduct of the campaign.

Speaking on the occasion, Deputy Coordinator EOC, Zamin Khan stressed on improved coordination with district and field staff for bridging operational and communications challenges saying that OBR 2 has been planned to ensure vaccination of children living in AR camps and in the bordering union councils with Afghanistan.

Zamin Khan said that children moving between the two last endemic countries are vulnerable to contracting the crippling disease and therefore needs special attention and focus in terms of vaccination.
He held an appeal to the parents to vaccinate their children in every campaign as move closer to achieving the goal of polio free Pakistan.

Coordinator paid rich tributes to the frontline workers and law enforcements personal for their hard work and commitment saying that the same level of motivation was required at all levels to cleanse the environment from polio virus and protect children from lifelong paralysis.

It is pertinent to mention that district Bajaur, Chitral Lower, Dir Lower, Dir Upper, Khyber, Kurram and Mohmand has union councils bordering Afghanistan whereas Buner, Charsadda, Chitral Upper, Dir Lower, Hangu, Haripur, Kohat, Malakand, Mansehra, Mardan, Nowshera, Peshawar and Swabi has AR camps.