Polio resurgence: In hope of raising awareness, NGO calls for ‘Day of Prayers’ on April 20

NRDF, a partner of UNICEF, is actively reaching out to prayer leaders across K-P and Fata.

PESHAWAR: Residents are willing to try any and every thing to combat the resurgence of the polio disease in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Fata, where 15 new cases have been reported so far this year.

The non-governmental National Research and Development Foundation has issued a province-wide call to observe Youm-e-Dua to spread awareness about the crippling disease on Friday, April 20.

The NRDF has been collaborating with the United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef) on social mobilisation against polio ahead of an Extended Programme on Immunisation campaign which is scheduled to begin on April 23.

“We have been trying to engage religious leaders in the fight against polio. We have sent letters to them throughout the province and tribal belt to observe the Youm-e-Dua and speak to people about this disease in Friday sermons,” NRDF’s deputy project director Tahir Abbas told The Express Tribune.

Abbas said they have also asked religious leaders to pray in their personal capacity after Friday prayers for the elimination of this disease. “We are in contact with about 2,500 religious leaders across the province.”

He said that the organisation’s district coordinators will also try to muster support from religious figures during the campaign. “We are trying to reach out to prayer leaders to make them a part of this campaign.”

In Peshawar alone, the NRDF is in contact with 400 religious leaders, said another NRDF official Mian Shahab. “We are personally trying to contact these people so that they can help us sensitise the public across the province.”