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Three-day anti-polio drive kicks off from today

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Pakistan
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Frontier Post
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F.P. Report

PESHAWAR: Three day anti-polio drive will start today October 24, in thirteen high risk districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province targeting more than 3.65 million children under the age of five.

Coordinator EOC Akbar Khan said this while chairing a high level meeting here at Emergency Operations Center to review the preparatory status for the upcoming anti-polio campaign starting from October 24-26, next. Representatives of health department, UNICEF, WHO, BMGF and other partner organizations were also present on the occasion.

Expressing satisfaction over operational arrangements for the campaign, Akbar Khan said that adequate security measures were taken besides communications and operational requirements of the teams were also catered to with the support of technical partners. He expressed his resolve to eradicate polio from the province and the region and requested parents and cross segments of society to play their due role in this regard.

It is pertinent to mention here that polio campaign will be carried out in thirteen high risk districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province that includes Peshawar, Charsadda, Nowshera, Mardan, Swabi, Swat, Kohat, Karakk, Hangu, Bannu, Lakki Marwat, Tank and Dera Ismail Khan this time reaching more than 3.65 million children including Afghan Refugees camps.

A total of 12541 teams have been constituted out of which 10872 are mobile teams, 932 fixed, 636 transit teams while 101 were roaming teams. According to EOC Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 4829 area in-charges were deployed to supervise the teams and ensure quality campaigns. Likewise more than 22000 police personnel and law enforcers have been deployed to provide security cover to front line workers in the upcoming campaign.

Governor term eradication of polio a common cause The Governor Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Engr. Iqbal Zafar Jhagra has said that eradicating polio from Pakistan is a national aim as well as challenge for the Government of Pakistan. Polio is a deadly disease, which has the potential of crippling our children, effective measure have been taken to nib this disease in the bud. He expressed these views on World Polio Day in his message here Sunday. Governor said: "World Polio Day being observed to create awareness among people regarding the potency of danger posed by polio to the health of our children."

It is a terrible fact that Pakistan is one of few countries where polio still exists and threatens our children, he added. Moreover, anti polio campaigns on monthly basis are being conducted in FATA, he remarked. On the average 1mn children are being vaccinated with polio drops on monthly basis in FATA, he disclosed. He said, special polio points have been established on agency borders to make sure that each child moving in and out of FATA is immunized.

As a result of these measures of the government there has been a significant improvement in the situation for instance, last year 176 cases of polio have been reported but this year only two cases of the same revealed which represents a giant step forward in our fight against polio, he added. The Governor also appreciated the global and national partners and acknowledges their vital cooperation in combating polio. On the occasion of World Polio Day, he emphasized that public should contribute with polio teams by immunizing their children with polio vaccine so that our country become polio free country.

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