Commissioner Sukkur Chairs a Divisional Task Force Meeting on Polio Eradication
Imran
Commissioner Expresses Serious Concern Over Campaign Preparations; Issues Directives for Immediate Corrective Action
Sukkur Commissioner Sukkur Division, Mr. Abid Saleem Qureshi, presided over a pivotal meeting of the Divisional Task Force on polio eradication here on Tuesday at his office.
The meeting was attended in person by Dr. Jamil Ahmed, the World Health Organization (WHO) representative for polio campaigns. Participating via video link were Deputy Commissioner Sukkur, Mr. Nadir Shahzad Khan; Deputy Commissioner Khairpur Mirs, Mr. Altaf Ahmad Chachar; Deputy Commissioner Ghotki, Mr. Manzoor Ahmad Kunrani; all District Health Officers (DHOs); the Regional Director and District Support Manager of the People's Primary Healthcare Initiative (PPHI); and key partners from the District Task Forces (DTFs) and the District Emergency Operations Centre (DEOC).
The session commenced with detailed district-wise briefings presented by the respective Deputy Commissioners and District Health Officers, outlining the preparedness for the upcoming anti-polio campaign.
During the review, Commissioner Abid Saleem Qureshi voiced serious concerns regarding multiple shortcomings in the campaign's groundwork. He highlighted critical issues in micro-planning, the substandard quality of training sessions for Frontline Workers (FLWs), the absence of essential motivational sessions for teams, and the failure of Area In-charges (AICs) to conduct the mandatory 15-minute pre-training meetings to discuss operational sheets.
Commissioner Sukkur Abid Saleem Qureshi directed that immediate deployment of support teams to Union Councils (UCs) where newly recruited Union Council Medical Officers (UCMOs) are posted, to ensure they receive full operational backing during the campaign.
He further directed that urgent resolution of discrepancies between administrative and household vaccination targets, particularly in UC Khanpur, where household data remains unentered in the IDIMS planning system, must be a priority. Similar inconsistencies noted in Sukkur District, specifically in New Sukkur, Rohri, Pano Akil, Sukkur City, and Saleh Pat, must also be rectified, he added.
The Commissioner ordered that schools be designated as high-priority monitoring sites and assigned to specific, dedicated monitors to ensure close supervision and complete vaccination coverage of all children.
He instructed that a focused effort on Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI) activities be made to ensure the proper identification, recording, and vaccination of zero-dose children, especially those above five years of age.
The Commissioner directed that all FLW training sessions where Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) were not strictly followed must be re-conducted in compliance with established guidelines.
Noting the critically low submission rate (less than 10%) for knowledge assessment responses, the Commissioner directed that all pending submissions be completed on a priority basis.
The attending officers assured the Commissioner of their full commitment to addressing the identified gaps and implementing the directives to ensure the success of the upcoming polio vaccination drive.
