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Dr. Imtiaz Ali Shah, Technical Focal Person for Polio Eradication Govt Khyber Pakhtunkhwa told APP that KP Government stand committed to support national efforts for eradication of polio virus and will run special vaccination campaigns in areas from where polio cases were reported this year.
From November 10, he said a special four days campaign would be started in sixteen different districts of KP including Malakand, Manshera, Nowshera, Shangla, Swabi, Torghar, Swat, Bannu, Charsadda, Hangu, Lakki Marwat, Mardan, Batagram, Buner and Tank for which all arrangements completed.
The participation of Chief Minister Khyber Pakthunkhwa Pervez Khattak and Chief Secretary Amjad Ali Khan in a high-level meeting of the National Task Force on Polio Eradication chaired by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Wednesday at Islamabad, showed KP Government’s seriousness and strong resolve to make KP polio free.
He said the KP Government would extend full cooperation to Federal Government to make Pakistan a polio free country.
He said the provincial government was fully aware of its national obligations, concerns of international community and actively took part in national campaigns relating to eradication of chronic diseases including polio.
The KP Government, he said after coming into power launched ambition “Sehat Ka Insaf” program till date to uproot this menace wherein polio teams were also sent to the bordering areas of FATA with full security cover to anti polio workers for noble cause.
He said an emergency Polio Eradication Cell has been established in the Office of Director General Health Services KP to monitor and look after the immunization campaigns. He said the Chief Secretary KP had chaired a high level meeting of Provincial Task Force last month with direction to all Deputy Commissioners to ensure 100 percent vaccination coverage in their respective districts.
He said strict action would be taken against the parents/guardians who refused to administer Oral Polio Vaccine to their children and will be sent to jail. He said Govt would closely monitoring performance of the field staff and negligence in duties on part of employees would not be accepted.
The KP Government would also extend support to the national building departments in vaccination of the internally displaced children accommodated in camps, he said.
The health department staff in hospitals, BHUs and other public places would be reactivated besides encouraging the staff showing extra ordinary results.
He said polio campaign was not a political activity; it is solely a public health vaccination programme, which, in coalition with media, academicians, religious scholars and civil society, helps to eradicate the problem by highlighting the issue and bringing awareness among the people.
He said strong commitment was needed from people of all walk life for eradication to eliminate this disease once and for all.
It may be recalled that 48 polio cases were reported from KP this year including 18 in Peshawar, 12 in Bannu, 4 Mardan, three Lakki Marwat, five Tank, three Buner, one each in Charsadda, Nowshera and Torghar.
SOURCE: AIP,APP
