Eradication campaign: Alarming rise of polio in Balochistan

World Health Organization, UNICEF, Rotary Club and others donating billions of rupees for eradication of polio.

QUETTA: The alarming rise of polio in the province was echoed in the Balochistan Assembly session on Thursday.

Speaking on a point of order, Minister for Gwadar Development Authority Zahoor Buledi said that even though donor agencies, including World Health Organization, UNICEF, Rotary Club and others had been donating billions of rupees for the eradication of the disease, about 66 polio cases have been reported in Balochistan.

Minister for Health Aainullah Shams said that polio could not be completely eradicated in Balochistan until the home and education departments were involved in the campaign. He said that the home department should force parents to administer anti-polio drops for their children.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 16^th, 2011.