About 3.2 million children below the age of five will be targeted in 15 high risk districts of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa under the third phase of National Immunisation Days (NIDs), as three days Anti-polio drive kicked off here in the province.
The Member President over side committee on Polio eradication, and MNA, Asma Arbab Alamgir, formally inaugurated the three-day campaign, which will continue from July 18 to 20 in different union councils of high-risk districts.
The Secretary Health, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Dr Munir Azam, Director Health services, Dr Rohullah Amin, Director Health Fata, Dr Fawad, Director EPI cell, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Dr Janbaz Afridi, representatives of WHO, UNICEF and the provincial health department were also present on the occasion.
The campaign will be carried out high risk union councils of fifteen high risks districts, including, Abbottabad, Bunner, Charssada, Chitral, D.I. Khan, Dir Upper and Lower, Haripur, Karak, Kohistan, Malakand, Manshera, Shangla, Swabi, Swat and Torghar.
More than 9,972 vaccination teams under supervision of 1,976 areas in charge have been formed to carry out campaign in the province. During this year, about six cases of polio have been reported in Khyber- Pakhtunkhwa including three in Peshawar, two in Torghar and one case detected in Bannu.
Dr Janbaz Afridi, in his detailed presentation informed the participants that the Pakistan is amongst the four countries, which are still fighting against polio; the other three are Afghanistan, India and Nigeria.
He explained that the more than 59 polio cases have been reported during current year, whereas 10 cases in Afghanistan, one case in India and 22 cases in Nigeria were reported. He said that the FATA is more prevalent as 20 cases of polio have been reported in current year, whereas only six cases were appeared in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa; most of them related to migratory and inaccessibility of polio vaccination.
Similarly, he said, around 18 polio cases in Baluchistan, 14 in Sindh, and one case in Gilgit-Baltistan were reported during the current year. Dr Janbaz informed that more than 268 Polio cases were reported this year in 14 countries of the World.
Dr Obaid, a representative of WHO, on the occasion said that the strength of joint UNICEF and WHO Polio working task force has been enhanced in the Khyber- Pakhtunkhwa.
He said the polio eradication is possible both in terms of technical and operational, but that needs a solid commitment in this regard. He assured that the both co-partners would continue their assistance till complete elimination of polio in Pakistan.
Dr Obaid stressed the need of extending of Polio eradication committees at Union Council level. He also suggested that the civil and military co-ordination committee should assist polio eradication teams to ensure full accessibility to conflict areas of the province.
He asked the tribal elders, Maliks and different tribes to play their due role in polio eradication from the FATA. Dr Munir Azam, Secretary Health, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa in his speech said that the polio situation is alarming in the province, especially in tribal areas. He said that the province is top in polio cases as compared to rest of the country. He said the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa had chalked out a polio emergency plan and firstly implemented by this province.
Unfortunately, he said the most of the Polio cases are being reported in the province. He acknowledged that there was lacking some sort of commitment due to which they are still in top list regarding polio.
Speaking on the occasion as Chief Guest, MNA and member President over side committee on Polio eradication, Asma Arbab Alamgir, said that the situation is precarious regarding polio in the country. She said the President, Asif Ali Zardari, has given top priority to the issue of Polio in the country, saying that the Prime Minister secretariat has chalked a special National Emergency Action Plan for Polio eradication in the country. She said the government is taking keen interest to completely eliminate the polio by the end of this year. Therefore, she informed that it has declared 2011 as polio free year.
She stressed the need of joint efforts and more work for meeting the targets before the end of this year. She called for creation of public awareness and interest about the polio, saying the media role is vital in this regard. She asked the political parties to play their due role in this regard.
Ms. Asma assured that the federal government would extend all kinds of assistance to provincial government to make polio eradication campaign more successful and achieve all targets by end of this year. She urged the Prime Minister, Syed Yousuf Raza Gillani to extend more assistance and support to Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and FATA as situation is alarming regarding polio in the province.
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