QUETTA: Seven days anti-polio drive will start in 18 districts of Balochistan on 15th May (today) during which 1.26 million children below the age of five will be vaccinated.

“A seven-day Anti polio campaign will start in 593 union councils in 18 districts of Balochistan,” Coordinator of Balochistan Emergency Operation Centre Sayed Zahid Shah said in his statement.

EOC Coordinator said all arrangements have been finalized to launch the drive in the high-risk areas of the province.

“Around 4969 teams will be deployed who will administer polio drops to the children below the age of five,” the polio campaign will start in Pishin, Killa Abdullah, Chaman, Barkhan, Mastung, Chagai, Dera Bugti, Dukki, Killa Saifullah, Loralai, Nushki, Hub, Jaffarabad, Nasirabad, Sherani Sohbatpur, Musa Kahel and Zhob districts.

He said Balochistan is polio free from last two years. He said Since Jan 2021, no polio case reported in the province (last case was reported on Jan 27, 2021, from district Killa Abdullah) and since April 2021, no polio virus found in the environmental samples in Balochistan.

The efforts and dedication of our front-line workers are admirable, yet we have to strive more to stop the virus circulation and save our children, Syed Zahid Shah.

However, the EOC Coordinator feared “the presence of polio virus in other areas of the country and in Afghanistan is a huge challenge for the province of Balochistan.

He called upon the parents to cooperate with the polio workers during the polio prevention campaign. “Due to the unflinching support from all segments of the society, spread of polio virus has effectively been controlled.”

We have adopted strict security to prevent any unforeseen situation, Balochistan Levies force, Police and Frontier Corps (FC) would be deployed to protect the polio workers,” Syed Zahid Shah said and added that religious scholars are also taking part to persuade the parents who normally refuse to administer the polio drops.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023