A presentation by Aziz Memon

Member, International Polio Plus Committee

National Chair, Pakistan Polio Plus Committee

Trustee 2020-24, Rotary Foundation

Challenges in overcoming obstacles in polio

eradication to get to the finish line

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THE CHALLENGES OF POLIO ERADICATION

Security

Media

Administrative Gaps

Refusals

Children in Transit

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ROTARY’S SUPPORT TO POLIO ERADICATION

Goal:Enhanced Activities in support of Polio Eradication Initiatives in Pakistan

Focus:

• Collaborate with the Government of Pakistan in all polio eradication programs and activities

• Align activities with the Augmented National Emergency Action Plan (NEAP) 2019-2020.

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INTENSIFIED ACTIVITIES ACROSS PAKISTAN

Rotary Resource Centers

Rotary Permanent Transit Posts

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AdvocacyRotary Polio

Resource Centers

Permanent Immunization Centers

Permanent Transit Posts

(PTPs)

Health Camps

ROTARY’S SUPPORT STRATEGY

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Polio Orientation & Planning Workshop -3271March 11,2019

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SUPPORT TO

EXPANDED PROGRAM ON IMMUNIZATION (EPI)

Improve Routine Immunization

• Establishment of 23 Permanent Immunization Centers across Pakistan.

• E Monitoring through Cellphone Project. 135 Lady health workers are involved.

• Supply of 54 polio kiosks for shelters

• Equipment to EPI Centers

Improved Cold Chain

• Supplied of 19 solar ILRS to EPI

Sindh

• Supply of additional 45,000

vaccine carriers for Polio workers

in 2017-18 (Total vaccine carriers

195,000)

• Supplied of 15 solar refrigerators

each to Sindh and Balochistan

Heat Wave Mitigation

• Supply of umbrellas

• Supply of water coolers

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Rotary’s Support to Increase Out Reach of Polio

Workers

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Support in Community Engagement

Awareness in Schools & Madrassas

Community Influencers

Community-based

Organizations

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PARTNERSHIP WITH COCA-COLA PAKISTAN & UNDP

Installed 17 solar-powered water filtration plants in the high risk union councils.

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Religious Leaders Workshops in all parts of the country

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Reception in the honor of Imam Baitul Muqadas Shaykh

Omar Awadallah Kiswani of Al-Aqsa Mosque

(05 November 2019)

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Established 09 Polio Resource Centers in High Risk areas of Pakistan to:

1. Serve as pivot points providingintensive support in high risk unioncouncils

2. Facilitate social mobilization andconfidence-building among refusalsand high risk communities

3. Promote advocacy at grassroots level4. Ensure access to local religious

influencers5. Strengthen Routine Immunization6. Provide greater access to inaccessible

areas7. Increase collaboration with polio

partners, UNICEF, WHO, EPI etc.

Resource Centers for Intensified Polio Eradication

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Established 06 Polio Team Support Centers in High Risk areas of

Pakistan to:

1. Serve as a Training Facility for CHWs.

2. Provide space for assembling of Polio Teams during

NIDs/SNIDs

3. Facility to prepare data/ micro plans.

4.Provide office space to compile data and link it with

District Polio Control Rooms.

Team Support Centers for Community Health workers

Training

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06 Team Support Centers in High Risk areas of Gulshan,

SITE & Gadap Towns, Karachi

Inauguration of Team Support Center at GadapTown, Karachi

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Involving Urban and Rural Communities in Community

Training Workshops

Resource Center Gulshan Iqbal KarachiResource Center Bhitaiabad,

Gadap

Female Community

Meeting in Pashtun

high risk areaResource Center Nowshera KPK Resource Center, Mansehra

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Established 43 Permanent Transit Posts across the country to cover children in transit. These:

1. Provide shelter to polio teams

2. Provide space to keep vaccine safely for vaccination

3. Provide polio vaccination to children in transit

4. Cover transit population for polio vaccination at inter

provincial and international border areas

5. Provide polio vaccination to missed children

6. Cover migratory & nomadic population for vaccination

HOW DO PERMANENT TRANSIT POSTS IMPROVE

COVERAGE

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Permanent Transit Post at Kohala, Check Post, Azad

Jammu & Kashmir

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Permanent Transit Posts (PTPs)Covering Children in Transit

Polio Kiosks at Airports

PTP at RailwayStationTypical PTP Shelter

Covering transit

children at PTPs

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Facilitate frequency of Cross-border meetings between Pakistan and Afghanistan by establishing Permanent Transit posts at Torkham, KPTD and Chaman, Balochistan borders.

STRENGTHENING CROSS-BORDER INTERVENTIONS

Pakistan & Afghanistan Polio

Partners at Torkham PTP, FATA

PTP at Chaman border,

Balochistan

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ROTARY HEALTH CAMPS

Purpose of a Health Camp is to provide:

1. Polio awareness, prevention and management of general illness

2. To serve impoverished communities with poor health facilities and limited access to basic health care.

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Meeting with the Governor Sindh Imran Ismail in Karachi

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Rotary Delegation with Minister Health Sindh Dr. Azra Pechuho -

Karachi

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Advocacy for awareness of polio eradication

President of Pakistan Dr.Arif Alvi

administrating polio drops Prime Minister Pakistan Imran Khan

Governor Sindh Imran IsmailPrime Minister Task Force Meeting

National Chair Aziz Memon with Dr.

Zafar Mirza, Minister Health

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International Rotarians Participate in NIDs

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Presenting a cheque to the father of Wajid Ali who was recently

killed in Muhamand Tribal District KPK, in the line of duty

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Summary and Way Forwards• Tremendous progress since 2016 – current low season provides best

chance to interrupt poliovirus transmission• Challenges remain with transmission persisting in hotspots and across

border• Transmission in Karachi and the ongoing presence of poliovirus across

the shared corridors is the biggest challenge

Way forward:

– Ensure SIAs achieve high coverage with focus on suboptimal districts and UCs

– Align risk assessment and response strategies with Afghanistan

– Continue focus on current hotspots and ensure aggressive response plans to outbreaks in previously polio-free areas

– Build on the progress made in surveillance

– Improve routine immunizations service delivery in UCs conducting CBV

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Getting close to the Finish Line – It did not happen by chance, it

took dedication, commitment, perseverance and courage,

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Thank You