Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister, Sardar Ali Amin Gandapur Friday officially launched the five days anti polio campaign by administering drops to children.
The five-day anti-polio campaign will continue from July 1 to July 5, says a press release issued here by Emergency Operation Center (EOC) KP.
Under the campaign, anti-polio drops will be administered in six complete districts of KP including Swabi, Swat, Tank, North Waziristan, South Waziristan Lower, and South Waziristan Upper.
Similarly, this campaign will also be conducted in specific union councils of five districts, including 22 union councils of D.I. Khan, three of Peshawar and one each of Karam, Bannu and Lakky Marwat.
Under the campaign, a total of 12 lakh 99 thousand children have been set as the target of anti-polio vaccination.
Around 9,921 teams have been formed for this purpose and about 15,000 security personnel will be deployed to protect the polio teams, the Chief Minister was told. It is encouraging that no case of polio has been reported so far this year, said Chief Minister.
We have to make the country and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa polio free, Ali Amin Gandapur added.
He said eliminating polio virus is also among the top priorities of the government and parents are requested to give their children anti-polio shots and protect them from life-long disability.
All sections of the society will have to play their individual and collective role to rid the province of polio virus.
Frontline polio workers are our heroes, parents should fully support door-to-door polio works, remarked Chief Minister.
He expressed great regard for the sacrifices of polio workers and forces personnel who laid down their lives during in line of duty.
Director of Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) of Punjab Dr Mukhtar Ahmed Friday appealed to media and Ulema for playing a responsible role for mobilizing people about eradication of polio from society as present government was committed to actively implementing a special emergency response plan to reach every child living in remote areas.
Talking to PTV news channel, he said, “All the provinces should pay special attention and ensure that every child is reached by the polio programme.”
“Ministry of Health with the help of district administrations was actively involved in the polio programs and we will ensure that the focus on polio remains unwavering,” he added.
He also requested the media to generate a demand from within communities for anti-polio and other vaccinations to safeguard their children against all crippling and deadly diseases like measles and Polio.
“All the stakeholders would have to come together and devise an effective strategy to tackle the crippling disease of Polio,” he added.
While urging for widespread polio vaccination, he emphasized the importance of education and awareness to combat the spread of the virus.
“The pivotal role of scholars in raising awareness within society and the real challenge is to convey the message to pulpits in the remote areas where mostly parents are misguiding and confused about the safe vaccination,” he underscored.
Replying a question about the decline cases of Measles, he lauded the efforts of health department and said, “Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz has focused all her attention for the improvement of health system.” “This decrease in cases is a positive development in the ongoing efforts to control and prevent measles in the region,” he mentioned.
“Vaccination of child is only way to tackle viruses and diseases,” he added.