Doctors’ task force to be formed to counter ‘polio rumours’: Uzma

LAHORE: The Punjab Emergency Operations Centre for Polio Eradication has decided to establish a doctors’ task force to counter rumours and misinformation related to polio, address parents’ concerns and further strengthen confidence in vaccination. The decision was announced during a workshop held at Services Hospital with representatives of the Pakistan Paediatric Association (PPA) and senior doctors. The workshop focused on strengthening the role of medical professionals in polio eradication efforts, particularly in addressing misinformation and concerns surrounding the polio vaccine. Punjab Chief Minister’s Focal Person for Polio Uzma Kardar said a doctors’ task force would be established across the province to help counter rumours and misinformation related to polio. She said the task force would be supported by senior doctors and medical experts who would play an important role in addressing parents’ concerns and providing credible, evidence-based information about the polio vaccine. “Doctors and medical professionals are among the most trusted sources of information for parents. Their engagement can help us effectively respond to common misconceptions and rumours about vaccination, ” Ms Kardar said. She said medical professionals would be equipped with evidence-based messages and simple, consistent responses to common questions and concerns, enabling them to strengthen vaccine confidence through direct engagement with caregivers as well as digital platforms. Ms Kardar said trusted voices from across society needed to work together with the polio programme to achieve eradication. “Doctors, paediatricians and other healthcare professionals can play a particularly important role in ensuring that parents receive accurate and credible information, ” she added. Punjab Emergency Operations Centre Coordinator Khalid Parvaiz said Punjab had made significant progress in the fight against polio, but sporadic presence of positive environmental samples meant that there could be no room for complacency. He stressed that sustained efforts and strong programme implementation were essential to fully interrupt virus transmission. Parvaiz said, “Senior doctors and medical experts have an important role to play in helping us achieve polio eradication, particularly by strengthening vaccine confidence and addressing misinformation. ” He said Punjab’s immediate objective was to move beyond controlling transmission towards sustained interruption of poliovirus transmission. Every campaign, he added, must be used to identify and vaccinate children who had been missed during previous campaigns. Parvaiz announced that the next polio vaccination campaign in Punjab would begin on September 21 in 13 districts. The campaign will continue for seven days in Lahore, while it will be conducted over four days in the remaining districts. He said special attention would be given to missed children during the campaign. Rather than simply counting missed children, the programme would focus on profiling, mapping and following them up to ensure they are reached and vaccinated. He said mobile and migrant populations, reverie areas, hard-to-reach locations and provincial and district boundaries required particular attention because population movement made it more difficult to identify, track and repeatedly vaccinate children. Transit vaccination, community engagement and coordination between districts were being strengthened as part of an integrated approach. Parvaiz said Lahore required continued attention because of its large population, high population mobility and programme complexity. He said doctors and healthcare professionals, along with community and religious leaders, influencers and frontline workers, needed to work together to strengthen vaccine confidence. “Medical professionals can help parents understand the safety and effectiveness of the polio vaccine, respond to questions about possible side effects and identify emerging rumours and concerns so that the programme can respond quickly, ” he said. The workshop was attended by representatives of the Pakistan Paediatric Association and senior doctors, who discussed parents’ concerns regarding polio vaccination, ways to counter misinformation and rumours, and the role of medical professionals in strengthening vaccine confidence. Participants reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening collaboration between medical professionals and the Punjab EOC to ensure that parents receive credible information, misconceptions about vaccination are addressed promptly and every child is protected through vaccination. Copyright Business Recorder, 2026

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