Six KP Divisions Start Polio Campaign

News Desk

Peshawar:  The first phase of the five-day anti-polio campaign is set to officially commence on November 27 parts of the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province.

During this extensive drive, more than 6.61 million children under the age of five in Bannu and across all districts of Peshawar, Kohat, Mardan, Malakand, and Hazara Divisions will receive polio drops. To facilitate this campaign, a total of 31,392 teams comprising trained polio workers have been mobilized, encompassing 27,924 mobile teams, 1,958 fixed teams, 1,337 transit teams, and 173 roaming teams. Additionally, 6,956 area in-charges have been appointed to oversee the teams diligently.

Recognizing the importance of ensuring the safety of the polio teams, over 53,500 security personnel have been deployed in the targeted areas to provide robust security measures.

Secretary Heath Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Mahmood Aslam Wazir emphasized the significance of each vaccination campaign as an opportunity to immunize all eligible children, thereby curbing the spread of the virus in the region.

He urged parents and caregivers to ensure their children receive the crucial two doses of the life-saving vaccine during each campaign.

Reiterating the government’s commitment to eradicating polio from the region, he highlighted the need for sustained collective efforts. Wazir underscored the vital role of parental support in interrupting virus transmission and safeguarding children from lifelong disabilities.

He made these remarks while inaugurating the November round of anti-polio drives at the Police Services hospitals in the province.

Secretary of Health Mahmood Aslam Wazir emphasized that the eradication of polio, classified as a national emergency, remains the top priority for the government. He highlighted the collective efforts of the entire governmental apparatus, spanning administrative officers at every level, the health department, and law enforcement agencies, all working collaboratively towards the complete elimination of this threat.

Wazir appealed to parents, urging them to ensure the vaccination of all children under the age of five during this campaign. He stressed the importance of support and cooperation from all sectors of society, including medical professionals, religious scholars, civil society, and the media, in achieving the national goal of a polio-free Pakistan.

Abdul Basit, the Special Secretary for Health (Polio Eradication), confirmed that comprehensive arrangements have been put in place for the upcoming November anti-polio vaccination drive in the province. This initiative, initiated in two phases starting on November 27, aims to administer polio drops to over 7.4 million children under the age of five.

He further detailed that the second phase, scheduled to commence in the first week of December, will target selected districts of Southern KP. Approximately 0.71 million children in districts such as Lakki Marwat, Tank, DI Khan, North Waziristan, South Waziristan Upper, and South Waziristan Lower will receive polio drops during this phase of the campaign. Additional input from APP.