'Punjab Govt Focuses On Polio Eradication Efforts'.

LAHORE -- Owing to the risk of polio virus re-emergence in Punjab, the provincial government is prioritizing polio eradication activities in Faisalabad along with two other super high-risk districts of Lahore and Rawalpindi.

Chairing a meeting with Faisalabad Deputy Commissioner Sohail Ashraf, Punjab Emergency Operations Centre Coordinator Syedah Ramallah Ali on Monday said, 'Faisalabad is a huge city with ample economic opportunities. People visit the city in huge numbers to earn livelihoods.' She added: 'Although children do not travel to the city in large numbers but there is a risk that adults may carry the virus to the city. Therefore, the risk of children falling prey to polio is imminent.'

Ramallah said that the precedent of virus entering through mobile populations is not new. 'We have seen in 2021 when virus made its way to the city and was detected in environmental samples.' The EOC coordinator ensured of every support to the deputy commissioner in order to phase out old micro-plans, digitization of micro-plans and introduction of new techniques to improve training quality.

The visiting deputy commissioner was informed on the initiatives taken by the province to prevent re-emergence of polio in Punjab in the wake of new polio cases in Pakistan. The EOC coordinator called for improving data quality and registration of all migrant and mobile population entering the district.

The deputy...