PESHAWAR: Federal Minister for National Health Services, Regulation and Coordination Abdul Qadir Patel has said that getting children vaccinated against polio is a national responsibility because not administering vaccines to them is tantamount to subjecting them to cruelty.

Vaccination drives are aimed at benefiting all children, he said.

He said that some elements are spreading false rumours about polio vaccine and by so doing they are committing atrocity against the country and the nation.

The health minister was speaking at a review meeting and briefing on measures taken against polio in Bannu and Dera Ismail Khan divisions, at the office of commissioner of Bannu Division.

Briefing the federal minister, Commissioner Arshad Khan said there are various reasons for resurgence of polio in Bannu Division. These include relocation of people in various seasons, and migration to other cities and Afghanistan.

He also explained the steps being taken in his division regarding anti-polio campaigns in the wake of reporting of new cases.

MNA Agha Rafiullah, Dera Ismail Khan Division’s Commissioner Amir Latif, federal official Shehzad Baig, provincial anti-polio coordinator Abdul Basit, Deputy Commissioner of North Waziristan Shahid Ali, Deputy Commissioner of Bannu Muhammad Zubair Khan Niazi, Deputy Commissioner of Tank Arshad Qayyum Burki, Deputy Commissioner of South Waziristan Amjad Meraj, Deputy Commissioner of Dera Ismail Khan Inayatullah Wasim, Additional Deputy Commissioner of North Waziristan Daulat Khan, and Additional Deputy Commissioner of Bannu Shabir Khan were present on the occasion.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022