CDC, commissioner reinforce polio eradication commitment
A delegation from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Polio Branch discussed sustaining momentum toward eradication goals, including continued CDC technical assistance and capacity building of health department staff. The critical role of NSTOP officers in supporting District Emergency Operations Centers (DEOCs) was highlighted as a key element of the response structure.
The CDC Polio Branch delegation was led by Dr Richard Franka, and met with Commissioner Karachi Syed Hasan Naqvi to discuss sustained efforts in the fight against polio.
During the meeting, the epidemiological significance of Karachi as a core polio reservoir was underscored - owing to its large, heterogeneous population and continuous population movement, which present complex challenges for eradication efforts. Both parties emphasised the importance of maintaining high-quality surveillance and vaccination coverage to interrupt transmission.
The active role of the deputy commissioners across Karachi was also acknowledged, particularly their continued leadership and on-ground coordination in supporting the polio eradication cause. Their commitment to ensuring effective implementation of polio campaigns and rapid response efforts have been instrumental in driving progress.
Commissioner Karachi, Syed Hasan Naqvi, reiterated the need to maintain NSTOP's support in core reservoir districts and stressed the importance of enhancing the capacity of frontline workers (FLWs) at the national level. He advocated for providing FLWs with a conducive working environment and proposed organising appreciation events to recognise their dedication and hard work - an essential step to boost morale and sustain motivation across the frontline workforce.
As a token of appreciation, souvenirs were presented to the CDC delegation in recognition of their ongoing support.
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US CDC vaccine panel cites nonexistent study in Thimerosal review, sparks controversy
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Express Tribune
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CDC, commissioner reinforce polio eradication commitment
A delegation from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Polio Branch discussed sustaining momentum toward eradication goals, including continued CDC technical assistance and capacity building of health department staff. The critical role of NSTOP officers in supporting District Emergency Operations Centers (DEOCs) was highlighted as a key element of the response structure. The CDC Polio Branch delegation was led by Dr Richard Franka, and met with Commissioner Karachi Syed Hasan Naqvi to discuss sustained efforts in the fight against polio. During the meeting, the epidemiological significance of Karachi as a core polio reservoir was underscored - owing to its large, heterogeneous population and continuous population movement, which present complex challenges for eradication efforts. Both parties emphasised the importance of maintaining high-quality surveillance and vaccination coverage to interrupt transmission. The active role of the deputy commissioners across Karachi was also acknowledged, particularly their continued leadership and on-ground coordination in supporting the polio eradication cause. Their commitment to ensuring effective implementation of polio campaigns and rapid response efforts have been instrumental in driving progress. Commissioner Karachi, Syed Hasan Naqvi, reiterated the need to maintain NSTOP's support in core reservoir districts and stressed the importance of enhancing the capacity of frontline workers (FLWs) at the national level. He advocated for providing FLWs with a conducive working environment and proposed organising appreciation events to recognise their dedication and hard work - an essential step to boost morale and sustain motivation across the frontline workforce. As a token of appreciation, souvenirs were presented to the CDC delegation in recognition of their ongoing support.
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Vials labelled "VACCINE Coronavirus COVID-19" and a syringe are seen in front of a displayed U.S. flag in this illustration taken December 11, 2021. Photo:REUTER Listen to article Pediatric infectious disease expert Dr Lakshmi Panagiotakopoulos of the US CDC resigned on Tuesday as co-leader of a working group that advises outside experts on COVID-19 vaccines and is leaving the agency, said two sources familiar with the move. Panagiotakopoulos said in an email to work group colleagues that her decision to step down was based on the belief she is "no longer able to help the most vulnerable members" of the US population. In her role at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's working group of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, she co-led the gathering of information on topics for presentation. Her resignation comes one week after Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr, a long-time vaccine skeptic who oversees the CDC, the Food and Drug Administration and the National Institutes of Health, said the COVID vaccine for healthy children and healthy pregnant women had been removed from the CDC's recommended immunization schedule. The move was a departure from the process in which ACIP experts meet and vote on changes to the immunization schedule or recommendations on who should get vaccines before the agency's director made a final call. The committee had not voted on the changes announced by Kennedy and the CDC does not yet have a permanent director. Two days after Kennedy's announcement, the CDC published a vaccine schedule online saying that COVID-19 vaccines remain an option for healthy children aged 6 months to 17 years when parents and doctors agree that it is needed. It had previously recommended updated COVID vaccines for everyone aged six months and older, following the guidance of the panel of outside experts. Two sources said Panagiotakopoulos did not include a specific reason for her departure. Panagiotakopoulos did not return requests for comment. "Unfortunately for me, this is a personal decision," Panagiotakopoulos wrote in an email to members of the working group that was read to Reuters by a source who received it. "My career in public health and vaccinology started with a deep-seated desire to help the most vulnerable members of our population, and that is not something I am able to continue doing in this role." The committee is scheduled to meet on June 25-27 and is expected to deliberate and vote on recommendations for use of COVID-19 vaccines, according to one of the sources who was not authorized to speak publicly.
