Since 1995, our government is seriously trying very hard towards Polio Free Pakistan . Throughout Pakistan,36-districts have been identified as high risk areas. Our district Rawalpindi is one of these.
Main role of government is to provide free polio vaccine and staff in these areas for repeated additional doses to children from birth to five years. People had a lot of doubts and fears about this strategy of repeated additional doses which had been a major cause of failure till1995.
To create awareness about this strategy and to remove the doubts and fears, we are working in collaboration with local government since 1998. A free Polio Vaccination camp for children below 5 years was organised in my clinic with the help of District Health authorities on 16-12-98 during which 195 children were given polio vaccine.
Another similar camp was organised on 27-1-99 in the clinic during which 395 children were given polio vaccine.
Our government wants to encourage a door to door campaign. Now our main role is mass awareness and motivation for it through the clinic. Increasing number of parents are attending these vaccination centres every year. Our government is now very close to its target and year 2003 is very important in this respect. Volunteers and government health workers are going door to door for vaccination.Latest campaign was on 2nd,3rd and 4th September,2003.