Quetta: The Emergency Operations Center (EOC) Balochistan will launch a five-day polio booster campaign across the Quetta block starting Monday, aiming to vaccinate approximately 378,000 children aged 5 to 10 years.
According to EOC Coordinator Inam ul Haq, nearly 1,200 vaccination teams have been deployed to cover schools and madrassas in Quetta, Chaman, Qila Abdullah, Pishin, and Breshore. The campaign will administer both fractional inactivated polio vaccine (fIPV) and oral polio vaccine (OPV) to eligible children, providing additional protection against the virus.
Inam ul Haq emphasized that the initiative is part of ongoing efforts to strengthen routine and supplementary immunization activities in the province. He noted that recent polio cases reported in Afghanistan among older children highlight the urgency of booster doses in Quetta block, where the virus remains present and cross-border transmission poses a risk.
‘Polio can cause irreversible paralysis and lifelong disability. Every vaccinated ch
ild strengthens community protection, while any child left unvaccinated increases the risk of virus spread,’ he said.
The EOC Coordinator appealed to parents, teachers, and religious leaders to cooperate with vaccination teams and ensure that all eligible children receive both fIPV and OPV. He urged school and madrassa administrations to facilitate the teams and guarantee children’s presence during the campaign.
He further stressed that the success of the drive depends on active support from all segments of society. Families whose children may be absent on vaccination days were advised to contact local teams to ensure immunization.
Inam ul Haq expressed hope that with the cooperation of parents, teachers, and community leaders, the campaign will strengthen protection for children and help curb the transmission of the polio virus in Balochistan.
