Pashtun writers, intellectuals urged to sensitise people on polio

Deputy Director Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI), Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Dr Jan Baz Afridi, has urged upon the Pashtun writers and intellectuals to sensitise their respective communities about polio that could disable their child for lifetime.
He said while addressing the second World Pashto Literary Convention started at Nishtar Hall on Friday, Dr Jan expressed concern over high number of polio cases among the Pashtun areas of Pakistan and Afghanistan. The two-day Pashto Literary convention that hosted writers, intellectuals, poets and professors from Pakistan, Afghanistan, Balochistan, Germany, United Arab Emirates and Britain.
Provincial Minister for Information, Mian Iftikhar Hussain inaugurated the mega poetic event. Secretary Information & Culture Azmat Hanif Orakzai was also present on the occasion. Deputy Director EPI Dr Jan Baz thanked the organisers and Culture Department Khyber Pakhtunkhwa for giving time for the presentation on polio as it was a national cause and was declared as emergency in Pakistan.
He said that the initiative was taken due to rising polio cases in the Pashtun areas of Pakistan and Afghanistan as over 70 percent polio affected children hailed from various tribes of Pashtuns. He appealed to the writers, intellectuals and elders of Pashtuns to ensure polio vaccination to their children below the age of five and to raise awareness to their writings and poems in their communities.
Later, Health and Nutrition Specialist Unicef, Dr Jamil presented a Pashto poem on a polio affected child highlighting the miseries that awaits him in the journey of life. The participants appreciated the efforts of the Unicef and Department of Health for their serious and concerted efforts for the protection of their children.