Mir Salam Jogezai :
QUETTA: Chief Secretary Balochistan, Abdul Aziz Uqaili on Monday said the province was polio-free for the last two years because of the sacrifices and struggle of polio workers and masses. The CS kicked off a seven-day anti-polio campaign in Balochistan. The Chief of the Emergency Operation Cell (EOC), Syed Zahid Shah, and other officials were also present on the occasion.
The Balochistan health department formed over 11,000 teams to make sure the provision of polio drops to children under the age of five years. The provincial government has evolved a strict security plan to provide security to all polio volunteers and workers to ensure their security during the campaign.
Progress made in eradicating the crippling virus
“Progress has been made in eradicating the crippling virus from Balochistan”, Abdul Aziz Uqaili said. He said last year two policemen were also martyred by miscreants during the campaign. He said earlier even some of the government employees were refusing to administer polio drops to their children. Now refusals decreased, he said.
The CS stated that government employees were issued show cause notices and apprised them about the importance of immunization. He said especially the front-line polio workers played a key role in the eradication of the crippling virus from Balochistan.
Media, religious scholars play an important role: CS
Abdul Aziz Uqaili urged the parents to cooperate with polio teams and make sure to administer polio drops to their children. He said the media, civil society and religious scholars also play an important role in creating awareness among the masses about the polio virus.
Syed Zahid Shah, the coordinator of the Emergency Operation Center, said in a statement that during the seven-day anti-polio campaign, the target of immunizing more than 2.5 million children up to five years of age has been set. Around 11 thousand 28 teams will participate during this campaign, including 8 thousand 998 mobile teams, 948 fixed sites, and 575 transit points. During the campaign, vitamin A drops will also be administered to the children.
