The Punjab health department is immunising all pilgrims visiting Kartarpur in Pakistan to pay obeisance at Gurdwara Darbar Sahib through the newly opened corridor with polio vaccination as a preventive measure as the neighbouring country is still not free of the contagious virus.
The vaccination is being carried out at the integrated check-post (ICP), Dera Baba Nanak.
The vaccine was also given to the dignitaries who were part of first jatha by a team on November 9 when the corridor was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The jatha comprised Punjab chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh, former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, former chief minister Parkash Singh Badal, Union minister Hardeep Singh Puri, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) chief Sukhbir Singh Badal, former minister Navjot Singh Sidhu and Akal Takht acting jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh among others.
The vaccine arrangements were closely supervised by Punjab Health Systems Corporation chairman Amardeep Singh Cheema.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) had declared India as polio-free in 2011 and certified it in 2014.
Recently, a leading Pakistani newspaper reported that around 80 cases of polio were found in Pakistan this year.
{{/usCountry}}Recently, a leading Pakistani newspaper reported that around 80 cases of polio were found in Pakistan this year.
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