Call to plug gaps in anti-polio drive

Bangash stressed that religious scholars and opinion makers should be engaged for making anti-polio drive successful

PESHAWAR:

Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) Chief Secretary, Dr Shahzad Khan Bangash has said that polio virus has reappeared in Waziristan which would be eradicated from the region with double efforts involving all stakeholders.

He said this while chairing a meeting of Provincial Task Force (PTF) on Thursday at his office for comparative analysis of last two national immunization drives (NIDs) and readiness status for upcoming anti-polio drive in the province starting from 27th.

Chairperson K-P Standing Committee on Health MPA Rabia Basri, administrative secretaries of elementary and secondary education, health, information department, Col Asjad, DIG Operations Nauman Siddiqui, Commissioner Bannu Arshad Khan, Commissioner Hazara Motahir Zeb, AIG Zahoor Afridi, UNICEF Polio Chief Hamesh Young, Additional Secretary Health (polio) & Coordinator EOC Asif Raheem, DG Health Services Shaheen Afridi, Deputy Coordinator EOC Zeeshan Khan, provincial team leads UNICEF, WHO, N Stop, Rotary International were in attendance while all other divisional commissioners and deputy commissioners joined the meeting through video link.

Chief Secretary reiterated strong commitment for polio eradication despite challenges, saying that all-out efforts would be made to make the region polio free and to stop virus transmission.

He directed commissioners and deputy commissioners to implement the action points pending at their end to plug the gaps and underscored the need for strengthening of PEI/EPI synergy.

Bangash stressed on need that leading religious scholars and opinion makers should be engaged for making anti-polio drive successful.

The CS directed authorities to give special attention to problematic union councils in southern districts and ensure that every child below the age of five is vaccinated against the crippling disease.

MPA, Rabia Basri stressed the role of political leaders in sensitization of their communities on polio eradication in their respective constituencies and countering anti-polio propaganda.

UNICEF Country Head of Polio, Hamesh Young laid emphasis on PEI/EPI synergy as vital for polio eradication and strengthening of transit points especially in the southern districts to ensure vaccination of travelling population.

Secretary Health K-P Amer Sultan Tareen said that field level staff should focus on implementation and not on strategic level which is the role of provincial EOC and other high level coordination units.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 24^th, 2022.