Three day drive: Anti-polio drive kicks off in Balochistan

As many as 6,000 teams will vaccinate more than 2.2 million children in 32 districts of province over next three days.

QUETTA: A three-day anti-polio drive was launched in Balochistan on Monday amid strict security. As many as 6,000 teams will vaccinate more than 2.2 million children in 32 districts of the province over the next three days. The teams have been deployed to places as far as the areas along the borders with Afghanistan and Iran. Around 4,500 personnel of Balochistan Constabulary will protect the vaccinators. Balochistan Health Secretary Abdul Sabor Kakar said there were some high risk areas in the province where health officials will personally monitor the campaign. No polio case has been detected in Balochistan for more than a year, but health experts fear that an ineffective campaign might bring back the virus. Health Secretary said that it is a challenge to completely eradicate the virus and people have to play their role for the polio free Pakistan.  He said that teams were deployed at entry and exit points of the province and bus terminals to administer polio drops.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 25^th, 2014.