Last resort: Govt seeks army's help in eradicating polio
Representatives of WHO, federal government, K-P government and FATA Secretariat were also present at the meeting.
The meeting was held at General Headquarters Rawalpindi to coordinate details of the campaign with particular emphasis on security and access to affected areas. PHOTO: UNICEF/FILE
RAWALPINDI:
With Pakistan facing possible travel bans owing to the seemingly unstoppable polio epidemic in the country, the government seems have turned to the army in a last ditch effort to eradicate the menace.
The army is already entrusted with the defence of the country's borders from its enemies, and it seems that polio has now been added to that list of enemies.
According to the statement issued by Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), a meeting was held at General Headquarters in Rawalpindi on Thursday to coordinate details of the campaign with particular emphasis on security and access to the affected areas, especially those in the tribal belt.
The army has suggested a "Whole of Nation Approach" to address the security challenges being faced by the polio eradication campaign, the statement further read.
Military officials also gave representatives of WHO, Federal, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) government and FATA Secretariat a briefing on the security situation in the country.
They were also appraised about the prevailing situation of polio in the country and the challenges being faced for the smooth running of polio campaign.
The participants expressed the urgency for polio eradication and emphasised on the need to improve security situation to make Pakistan polio free country.
Pakistan has faced stiff challenge in eradicating the polio-virus from the country. Numerous polio teams have been attacked, many workers and doctors associated with the programme were also abducted by the militants.
When facing up to guns, polio workers have had had to combat rigid ideologies of parents about polio. The campaigns have been further marred by non-payment or insufficient payment to vaccinators and a particularly resistant wild polio-virus strain.
They have contributed to 91 cases in 2013, and 27 so far in 2014 prompting travel restrictions from India.
With Pakistan facing possible travel bans owing to the seemingly unstoppable polio epidemic in the country, the government seems have turned to the army in a last ditch effort to eradicate the menace.
The army is already entrusted with the defence of the country's borders from its enemies, and it seems that polio has now been added to that list of enemies.
According to the statement issued by Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), a meeting was held at General Headquarters in Rawalpindi on Thursday to coordinate details of the campaign with particular emphasis on security and access to the affected areas, especially those in the tribal belt.
The army has suggested a "Whole of Nation Approach" to address the security challenges being faced by the polio eradication campaign, the statement further read.
Military officials also gave representatives of WHO, Federal, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) government and FATA Secretariat a briefing on the security situation in the country.
They were also appraised about the prevailing situation of polio in the country and the challenges being faced for the smooth running of polio campaign.
The participants expressed the urgency for polio eradication and emphasised on the need to improve security situation to make Pakistan polio free country.
Pakistan has faced stiff challenge in eradicating the polio-virus from the country. Numerous polio teams have been attacked, many workers and doctors associated with the programme were also abducted by the militants.
When facing up to guns, polio workers have had had to combat rigid ideologies of parents about polio. The campaigns have been further marred by non-payment or insufficient payment to vaccinators and a particularly resistant wild polio-virus strain.
They have contributed to 91 cases in 2013, and 27 so far in 2014 prompting travel restrictions from India.