Joining the fight: Army to provide security for anti-polio campaign

Decision prompted by possibility of countries enacting travel restrictions against Pakistan.


Sehrish Wasif April 17, 2014
Sharing details about the plan, the source said the army will provide ‘a conducive environment’ for the upcoming anti-polio drive, scheduled for April 27. PHOTO: SHAFIQ MALIK/EXPRESS

ISLAMABAD:


The army is all set to assist the government in its fight against polio in a bid to improve country’s image worldwide, which has been dented after a record number of polio cases surfaced in the first quarter of the year.


So far 47 cases have been reported from various parts of the country, predominantly the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata).

The decision to join the fight against polio was taken at a meeting held at the General Headquarters (GHQ) on Thursday. Among the participants were representatives of the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the federal, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) and Fata secretariats, according to a press release issued by the ISPR.

The participants discussed the challenges being faced by the government and measures to ensure the smooth conduct of the polio campaign, the statement said. They also expressed the urgency for polio eradication to save future generations and emphasised the need to take all necessary measures, including improving security, to make Pakistan polio free, it added.

A source in the army said the decision was prompted by the possibility of other countries imposing travel restrictions on Pakistan if polio was not curbed. “This will be a big embarrassment for the nation and cause serious economic damage,” he added while speaking on condition of anonymity.

Sharing details about the plan, the source said the army will provide ‘a conducive environment’ for the upcoming anti-polio drive, scheduled for April 27.

“Security will be provided not just to polio workers, but to parents bringing their children in for vaccinations as well,” he said. “It is going to be an effort to remove barriers between children and polio vaccinators.”

Army personnel will not accompany polio workers door-to-door, however. According to the source, polio workers will carry out the vaccination drive at designated medical centres looked after by the army.

The army will also remain in touch with the intelligence agencies to preempt any attempt to harm polio workers or hinder the vaccination drive, he added. “Any action against the polio drive or the vaccinators will be considered an act of aggression against the country.”


Published in The Express Tribune, April 18th, 2014.

COMMENTS (3)

Arindom | 9 years ago | Reply

@Tarakseel:

issue is not of superior or inferior. The issue is the needless dragging of religion by Muslims into everything, including medical science. To take this argument to it's logical conclusion, then muslim countries should ban all hospitals and doctors!!

Tarakseel | 9 years ago | Reply

The Muslims in India get their childern immunised happilly are they inferior Muslims.

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