K-P CM optimistic of reaching polio-free status

Health department suspends Bajaur health official for mistreating female polio workers

SHABQADAR/ PESHAWAR: The provincial government on Monday expressed the optimism of reaching the target of ridding the province of polio while the federal government, led by the ruling party, would strive to replicate that target in the rest of the country.

This was stated by Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Chief Minister Mahmood Khan on Monday at a simple gathering to kick-off the polio drive at the hujra of MPA Haji Fazle Illahi in Hazar Khwani area of Peshawar.

Mahmood said that so far this year, only one polio case had been reported in the province. His statement though belied the fact that the tribal districts — which were merged into K-P by its very last act before being dissolved ahead of the July 25 elections — have reported three additional cases of polio this year.

The K-P chief minister went on to claim that the government was about to reach the target of becoming polio-free, with pragmatic measures to protect the upcoming generation from permanent disability.

He added that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) led governments in the province and in the centre would continue to work towards making the entire country polio-free in the foreseeable future.

"Our efforts would continue until the complete elimination of polio," Mahmood vowed.

He said that when this province and the adjoining districts of erstwhile federally administered tribal areas recorded polio cases and its subsequent effect, the provincial government took it on itself, accepting the challenge to completely eliminate it on an emergency basis.

The K-P chief minister added that in its last tenure, the PTI government took curative efforts in this regard and established the ECO and emergency operation theatres apart from launching renewed efforts to defeat this crippling disease.

He claimed that the ‘enemy’ of the nation created both physiological and physical barriers but the government had a matching commitment and efforts towards its goal.

The chief minister added that the nation had proved its resilience in the face of man-made and natural calamities in the recent past.

He called upon the health sector authorities to go for prevention and launch an awareness campaign against it.

He assured the province would continue to supplement the federal government efforts for totally eliminating polio at the national level. He also thanked the elders of the area for their participation in the campaign to make it a success story.

Bajaur health officer suspended

The K-P Health secretary on Monday suspended the Bajaur Tribal District health officer (agency surgeon) for allegedly mistreating a female polio health worker.

WITH ADDITIONAL INPUT FROM APP 

Published in The Express Tribune, November 13^th, 2018.