Day One (19th Dec 2016) 

Rtn Yuji Nagata from RC Rikuzer-Takata Dist 2520 in Japan visited Pakistan specially to participate in the December 19 – 22 NIDs. The current and next two months (January & February 2017) are low transmission season months, which is a crucial time for us to optimize our surveillance and monitoring to ensure no child remains unvaccinated.

Rtn Yuji Nagata participated visited two polio high risk areas; one in Sikandarabad and the other in Machar Colony Karachi. He was accompanied by his interpreter and Asher Ali Project Manager, PNPPC. Yuji San visited the Rotary Resource Center at Sikandarabad where Asher Ali explained the working and operation of the center; showed how the Training Facility for Community Based Vaccinators (CBV) is operated and accompanied him with the polio teams, during the door to door campaign. He administrated polio drops to children and spoke with polio workers in detail, asking them of their work and arrangements for their security.

Rtn. Yuji Nagata commented “ I had the impression that it would be risky to visit houses during the NIDs, but I feel free and can go where I please with no risk of security”, Yuji san visited many houses and met with community people. He also checked their micro plans, registers and list of missed children. In the afternoon, he visited the Railway Station at Cantt. He was keen to inspect the boogies and talk to people. He was happy with the polio teams who were administering polio drops to passengers, coming into the station and those leaving the station.

Day Two (20th December 2016)

On second day, Rotarian Andrea Tirone from Rotary Club of Toronto, Canada joined the delegation to participate in the National Campaign. Project Manager Asher Ali took the delegation to the Resource Centre at Gulshan Town. Yuji san and Andrea joined polio teams in Sachal Town. They visited house to house to administer polio drops to the children less than 5 years of age with the polio teams. The Rotarians appreciated the commitment and hard work of polio workers. They also met with UCMO Dr. Ashraf and asked questions about planning of campaign in his area of jurisdiction.

At the end, both Rotarians appreciated the joint efforts of polio partners and the role model of Resource Centers that provide training facility to Front Line workers and a pivotal point for assembling before the start of the polio campaign. After their visit to Gulshan Town, they went to the Super Highway where Rotary has established Permanent Transit Posts (PTPs) at the exit and entry points. They saw the buses/van/cars and wagons coming in and being stopped by police and rangers, so that polio workers could immunize children entering Karachi. Yuji san also climbed inside the buses to see how the teams were vaccinating children.

Both Rotarians Yuji Nagata and Andrea Tirone thanked PNPPC for arranging field visits and an opportunity for them to take part in the last National Campaign of 2016.