Naushahro Feroze: An important awareness meeting regarding the upcoming special polio booster dose campaign was held under the chairmanship of Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC-I) Naushahro Feroze, Muhammad Mustaqeem Qureshi.
The meeting was attended by district and taluka-level officers of the Education Department, Additional District Health Officer Dr Mukhtar Ahmed Memon, WHO PEI Officer Dr Abdul Bari, UNICEF District Community Communication Officer Amraj Dawood Bughio, District Emergency Operations Centre representative Dr Vijay Kumar and other officials.
Addressing the meeting, ADC Muhammad Mustaqeem Qureshi said the Education Department has a vital role to play in the national campaign to eradicate polio. He urged education officers and teachers to fully support the district administration in creating awareness among parents and communities.
He said a special polio booster dose campaign would be conducted from August 24 to August 31, 2026, with the aim of eliminating the poliovirus and strengthening children’s immunity against the disease.
Health officials briefed participants about the vaccination strategy for the district. According to the officials, children in 10 union councils located along the Indus River will be targeted during the campaign.
Children up to four months of age will be administered oral polio vaccine (OPV), while children between four months and 10 years of age will receive an inactivated polio vaccine (IPV) dose through a jet injector.
Officials explained that the jet-injection method would allow the vaccine to be administered without the use of a conventional needle, helping make the vaccination process easier for children.
The campaign has set a target of vaccinating 61,500 children up to four months of age with OPV. In addition, approximately 115,500 children between four months and 10 years of age are targeted for IPV vaccination through jet injectors.
To ensure effective implementation of the campaign, 255 vaccination teams have been formed across the district. These teams will visit targeted communities and work to ensure that eligible children receive the required doses.
Muhammad Mustaqeem Qureshi appealed to parents throughout Naushahro Feroze to cooperate fully with polio vaccination teams. He urged families to ensure that all children up to the age of 10 receive their routine polio vaccinations as well as the special booster doses where applicable.
The ADC emphasised that cooperation between parents, teachers, health workers and the district administration is essential for the success of the campaign. He said public awareness can play a major role in protecting children and preventing the spread of poliovirus.
Education officials and teachers also assured the administration that they would extend their full cooperation during the campaign. They pledged to help spread awareness messages and ensure that information about the vaccination drive reaches families at the community and household level.
The participation of educational institutions is expected to strengthen the campaign by enabling teachers and education officers to communicate directly with parents and communities.
The special campaign will focus on children in the designated areas, with health teams using both oral and injectable vaccines according to the age groups identified by the health authorities.
Officials stressed the importance of ensuring that every eligible child is reached during the campaign. Parents have been encouraged to cooperate with vaccination teams and provide their children with the recommended protection against polio.
The campaign will run from August 24 through August 31, with 255 teams deployed to achieve the vaccination targets. Authorities hope that coordinated efforts by the Education and Health Departments, community organisations and families will contribute to strengthening polio prevention efforts in Naushahro Feroze.
At the conclusion of the awareness session, education officers and teachers reiterated their commitment to supporting the campaign and taking its public-awareness message to households throughout the district.
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