RAWALPINDI: The Punjab Emergency Operations Centre has called for sustained efforts to stop poliovirus transmission through high-quality vaccination, effective surveillance and community engagement with a renewed focus on addressing misinformation and rumours surrounding polio vaccination.
To strengthen the use of credible medical voices in responding to misinformation, a task force of doctors will be established to provide accurate, evidence-based information to parents and communities.
The emphasis was placed during a workshop on polio eradication and the role of doctors held at Rawalpindi Medical University. The session discussed ways to strengthen parental confidence in polio vaccination, counter misinformation, reach missed children, address the vaccination needs of mobile and migrant populations and boost surveillance.
The workshop was attended by Chief Minister’s Focal Person for Polio Uzma Kardar, RMU Vice Chancellor Dr Sohail Amin, President Pakistan Paediatric Association Dr General Salman Ali, Head of Paediatrics Dr Hina Sattar, Deputy District Health Officer Rawalpindi Dr Hanan and other doctors and health professionals.
Session discusses ways to boost parents’ confidence in polio vaccination and strengthen surveillance
Speaking at the workshop, Ms Kardar said Punjab had made significant progress against polio, but the presence of positive environmental samples showed that pressure on the virus must be maintained. “The decline in environmental positivity is encouraging, but there is no room for complacency in the fight against polio,” she said.
“To stop transmission completely, every campaign must achieve high-quality vaccination, effective surveillance and systematic follow-up of children who are missed.” Ms Kardar said misinformation about polio could influence parents’ decisions about vaccination and therefore needed to be addressed through credible and trusted medical information.
“Doctors are among the most trusted sources of health information for parents. We will use their credible voices to counter misinformation about polio and vaccination,” she said. She urged doctors to become part of the proposed task force and use their professional platforms, including social media, to provide parents with accurate information about polio vaccination and address their questions and concerns.
She said a coordinated voice of doctors, community leaders and frontline workers could help strengthen confidence in vaccination. “Parents’ questions and concerns should be addressed with facts and credible medical guidance rather than rumours,” she added.
Ms Kardar said Lahore and Rawalpindi required continued attention because of their population density, population movement and programme complexity. She stressed the need to ensure vaccination of mobile and migrant populations, identify missed children and follow them up as an integral part of every campaign.
She also highlighted the importance of frontline workers, saying they were the face of the programme. “Their training, motivation and safety must remain a priority. Strong microplanning and effective field monitoring are essential to ensure that every child is reached,” she said.
Ms Kardar said a special polio vaccination campaign in Punjab will begin on September 21, with preparations, awareness activities and community engagement already underway.
Dr Salman Ali said doctors could play a key role in addressing parents’ concerns and building confidence in polio vaccination. He said providing accurate and credible information about polio vaccination through social media was an important need.
Dr Sattar said polio eradication efforts should go hand in hand with strengthening routine immunisation. She advised parents to seek guidance from qualified doctors whenever they had questions about polio vaccination instead of relying on rumours or unverified information.
Dr Hanan stressed the importance of identifying and vaccinating missed children during every polio campaign. “Missed children should not simply be counted. Their profiles should be developed, mapped and followed up to ensure they are vaccinated in subsequent campaigns,” he said.
He also called for continued focus on vaccinating mobile and migrant populations and strengthening surveillance in hard-to-reach areas. “Polio surveillance must remain one step ahead of the virus,” he said.
Dr Hanan said strong microplanning was the foundation of a quality polio campaign. Microplans should be regularly updated based on population patterns, population movement and local conditions to ensure effective coverage.
Published in Dawn, September 18th, 2026
