Three days Anti Polio campaign from Monday 
Three days Anti Polio campaign from Monday 
Haseeb ur Rehman
Balochistan

QUETTA: Coordinator Emergency Operation Centre (EOC) Balochistan Syed Faisal Ahmed said, all preparations have been completed for the three days Anti-Polio drive in Balochistan.

 QUETTA: Coordinator Emergency Operation Centre (EOC) Balochistan Syed Faisal Ahmed said, all preparations have been completed for the three days Anti-Polio drive in Balochistan.

Government and Emergency operation Centre Balochistan would commence three days Anti-Polio campaign in Balochistan, in which more than 2.4 million children less than five years would be administered with polio drops. During the campaign Vitamin-A drops also be given to the children.

“All preparations have been made regarding the Anti-Polio campaign, 9764 teams would be deployed to administer anti-polio drops among children under the age of five,” Syed Faisal said.

At least 8375 Mobile teams, 890 fixed sites and 499 transit points have been established across Balochistan to make sure that all children are given polio drops.

“We have adopted strict security to prevent any unpredictable situation, Frontier Corps (FC), Police and Levies force would be deployed to protect the polio workers,” Syed Faisal said and added religious scholars are also taking part to persuade the parents who normally refuse to administer the polio drops.

Pakistan and Afghanistan are the two endemic countries still having polio cases. Afghanistan reported 11 cases in the recent year and the excessive cross border population movement poses great threat to the under 5 children to be affected with the polio disease. In recent year total 5 new polio cases were reported in Pakistan while Balochistan has emerged with only one polio case.

Talking on sewage samples taken from Killa Abdullah and Quetta he said, recently the sewage samples came up positive, which indicated that poliovirus can affect venerable children.

“We have achieved major goals in combating polio disease but still we have to strive more to declare Pakistan a Polio-free country,” Syed Faisal concluded.