Crippling disease: Second phase of polio drive opens today

QUETTA/ PESHAWAR: Second phase of the immunisation campaign against poliovirus is set to begin today (Monday) across 13 districts of Balochistan, Khyber Agency and Wana Subdivision of South Waziristan, Coordinator Emergency Operation Centre Syed Faisal Ahmed said on Sunday.

He said that the immunisation campaign could not be carried out in the said districts owing to heavy snowfall and subsequent blockade of communication lines in the province.



The districts include Barkhan, Bolan, Jhal Magsi, Qilla Abdullah, Kharan, Khuzdar, Loralai, Musakhel, Pishin, Quetta, Sherani, Sibi and Washuk. The campaign would be also carried out in a few tehsils of the Zhob district, he added.

As many as 1.3 million children will be inoculated during the anti-polio drive and preparations have been finalised in this regard. Over 4,000 workers will take part in the campaign which is divided in 3,547 mobile teams, 429 transit point teams and 371 fixed sites.

Commenting on the security arrangements, he said that the teams would be provided foolproof security during the campaign and contingents of police and FC would be deployed with the polio teams.

Meanwhile, some 0.25million children will be inoculated against the crippling disease in Khyber Agency. Some 869 teams comprising 791 mobile, 52 fixed and 26 transit teams will be participating in the campaign.

A similar campaign will be carried out in Wana where 44 mobile, 20 fixed and eight transit teams will be vaccinating 72,202 children. Fata EOC confirmed that all the arrangements have been finalised for the campaign.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 23^rd, 2017.