Chiniot (Report by Punjab Bureau Chief Malik Maqsood Chinioti):
A four-day anti-polio campaign has been formally inaugurated in District Chiniot, marking another important step in Pakistan’s fight against polio. The campaign was launched by Deputy Commissioner Chiniot Ayesha Rizwan, who administered polio drops to young children at Maryam Nawaz Hospital, Chak 14.

The inauguration ceremony was also attended by CEO Health Dr. Saqib Munir, Deputy DDO Dr. Naeema Ashraf, and other senior health officials.

According to Deputy Commissioner Ayesha Rizwan, the district-wide anti-polio drive officially begins from April 13 and will continue for four days. The administration has set a target to vaccinate 295,263 children across the district during the campaign.

To ensure full coverage, the Health Department has deployed 1,467 polio teams in the field, which will work door-to-door and at designated points to administer life-saving vaccine drops to children under the age of five.

The Deputy Commissioner emphasized that all relevant departments, especially the health teams, will perform their duties with full responsibility to make the campaign successful. She urged parents to ensure their children receive polio drops to protect them from lifelong disability.

She further stated that a polio-free Pakistan remains a shared national priority, and the success of the campaign depends on the active cooperation of parents, communities, and frontline health workers.

The campaign is being viewed as a major public health effort aimed at protecting every child and moving Pakistan closer to complete polio eradication.