Daily Times

PESHAWAR: More than 1.8 million children under the age of five years will be immunised during a three day anti-polio drive that started on Monday in eight high risk districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, including 48 camps of IDPs and Afghan refugees.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Coordinator Emergency Operation Center (EOC) Akbar Khan said during an informal chat with media persons here at EOC KP that “5730 teams of well trained polio workers have been formed who are supervised by 1248 area in charges/supervisors to carry out an effective anti polio vaccination.”

He said that the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government, under the direct supervision of Health Secretary Mr. Muhammad Abid Majeed is fully committed to eliminating the menace of polio from the province.

Despite several challenges, a considerable decline has been noticed in polio cases in KP. He added that it was not our target to curtail the number of cases but their target was complete elimination of polio from this province.

He maintained that a three days campaign started on July 25, 2016, where eight district including Peshawar , Bannu, DI Khan, Tank, Karak, Kohat, Hangu, Lakki Marwat are the targeted areas. During the campaign, 48 camps of IDPs, camps of Afghan refugees, and all the union councils will be accessed to immunise more than 1.8 million children.

He said that out of 5,730 teams, 4,900 are mobile teams, 434 fixed teams, 318 transit teams and 78 roaming teams. Giving district-vise detail Akbar Khan said that 1,275 teams are formed under 362 area in-charges In Peshawar, who are immunising 621,000 children.

In DI Khan, 1100 teams under supervision of 223 area supervisors are tasked with immunising 276,000 children. In district Bannu, 147 area supervisors will supervise 648 teams to administer polio drops to 193,000 children. Similarly in Kohat, 137 area supervisors overlook 626 teams to immunize 195,000 children.

In district Lakki Marwat, 131 area in-charges are deputed to supervise 701 teams to immunise 131,000 children, in district Hango 390 teams formed under 88 area in-charge are to immunise 110,000 children, and in district Tank, 118 teams are performing under 19 area in-charges to immunise 8,466 children.