Punjab steps up polio vigilance ahead of SNID

By Our Staff Reporter 

LAHORE -- The Punjab Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) has stressed the need for additional efforts to sustain the gains made against poliovirus and ensure that no gaps remain ahead of the upcoming Special National Immunization Days (SNID) campaign starting September 21.

Chairing a readiness meeting with all SNID campaign districts, Punjab EOC Coordinator Khalid Parvaiz directed districts to immediately address gaps identified during pre-campaign preparations, particularly those related to the quality and completeness of training.

The meeting reviewed campaign readiness and highlighted issues including gaps in training quality and incomplete training materials in some districts. District teams were directed to rectify these issues immediately and ensure 100 per cent compliance in reporting on the campaign dashboard.

Emphasising the importance of strong microplanning, Mr Khalid Parvaiz directed Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) of districts lying on inter-provincial boundaries to re-check their microplans, particularly in light of cross-border coordination meetings already held with neighbouring districts and provinces.

He stressed that every possible effort must be made to identify and vaccinate children who may otherwise be missed during the campaign.

“Punjab has achieved a very encouraging situation, with environmental samples currently negative for poliovirus. However, sustaining this progress requires us to remain vigilant and close every operational gap,” said Mr Khalid Parvaiz.

He noted that the presence of poliovirus in areas beyond Punjab’s borders, including environmental detections and cases in neighbouring provinces, continued to pose a risk of reintroduction.

“Any persistent gap in our vaccination and surveillance efforts can create an opportunity for the virus to cross into Punjab. Our objective is to keep Punjab at zero, and this requires additional and sustained efforts,” he said.

The EOC Coordinator highlighted transit vaccination as a critical component of the upcoming campaign, particularly for reaching children travelling with mobile and migrant populations.

He also stressed the importance of synchronized vaccination activities across borders, noting that coordinated campaigns can help reduce the risk of poliovirus transmission across population movement routes.

“Transit points will be particularly important during this campaign. Every child travelling with mobile and migrant populations must have access to vaccination. Synchronized campaigns across areas are also essential to prevent the virus from gaining an opportunity to spread,” he added.

The meeting reiterated that high-quality campaign implementation, updated microplans, complete training, effective dashboard reporting, transit vaccination and close coordination with neighbouring areas would be critical to sustaining Punjab’s progress.

The Special National Immunization Days campaign will begin on September 21, with vaccination teams reaching eligible children to provide oral polio vaccine.