MIRPUR (Kashmir English): An anti-polio campaign will be launched in Mirpur, Bhimber, and Jhelum Valley (Azad Kashmir) from April 21 to 25, 2025, for which preparations have been completed in all districts.
In this regard, high-level meetings were held in Mirpur, Bhimber, and Jhelum Valley to discuss a plan of action for the success of the campaign. During the campaign, children from birth to five years of age will be vaccinated against polio.
A meeting of the District Polio Eradication Committee (DPEC) was held in Mirpur under the chairmanship of Additional Deputy Commissioner General Raja Umar Tariq, in which District Health Officer Dr. Fida Hussain Raja, Additional DHO Dr. Maida Kausar, Assistant District Coordinator Dr. Faria Javed, Assistant Director Surveillance Muhammad Riaz and other officers participated.
District Health Officer (DHO) Dr. Fida Hussain said in a briefing that a target of 76,656 children across the district has been set to be vaccinated against polio.
Around 439 mobile teams, 41 fixed sites, and 14 transit points have been set up for the campaign, while 37 union council supervisors and 103 area in-charges have been appointed for monitoring.
Additional Deputy Commissioner General Raja Umar Tariq said that polio is a dangerous disease for which all institutions must work together. He urged the Education Department and Private Schools Association to fully cooperate with the polio teams and inform parents.
Apart from that, a meeting was held in Bhimber under the chairmanship of Deputy Commissioner Mirza Arshad Mahmood Jaral, in which representatives of the Health Department, Police, Traffic Police, Military authorities, Education, Information, Local Government, and Tehsil Mufti Office participated.
The arrangements for the polio campaign were finalised in the meeting.
Deputy Commissioner Mirza Arshad Mahmood said that Azad Kashmir is polio-free, and all resources will be utilised to maintain this status. He appealed to parents to ensure that their children were vaccinated against polio.
DSP Muhammad Naseer Khan, DDLG Raja Waheed-ur-Rehman, World Health Organization representative Dr. Abdul Manan, AD Waqas Nasr, DIO Adnan Mukhtar, Tehsil Mufti Abid Hussain Ghazali, and other officers attended the meeting.
A meeting was also held in Jhelum Valley District under the chairmanship of Deputy Commissioner Syed Ashfaq Gilani in which the arrangements for the anti-polio campaign were reviewed.
While giving a briefing, the Deputy Commissioner said that a target of vaccinating 43,146 children under the age of five has been set, including 35,446 children at home and 4,323 children under the age of six months.
For this purpose, 292 mobile teams, 17 transit points, and 42 fixed centers have been formed, he said.
Deputy Commissioner Syed Ashfaq Gilani said that public cooperation is essential for the complete eradication of polio. He urged parents not to neglect the vaccination of their children.
DSP Abdul Khaliq said in the meeting that foolproof security arrangements would be made during the polio campaign. A district polio control room has been set up in the DHO office, which will remain active from 9 am to 9 pm.
