Health Desk:
QUETTA: Balochistan Chief Secretary Shakeel Qadir Khan chaired a high-level meeting to review preparations for the upcoming anti-polio campaign set to begin on Monday, September 9. The week-long campaign aims to administer polio drops to over 2.6 million children across the province.
12 Polio Cases in 8 Months
During the meeting, the Chief Secretary highlighted the alarming rise in polio cases, noting that 12 out of the 17 cases recorded nationwide this year were from Balochistan. Cases were reported in districts including Chaman, Dera Bugti, Qila Abdullah, Quetta, Jhal Magsi, Zhob, Qila Saifullah, and Kharan.
Call to Action
Shakeel Qadir Khan stressed the importance of parents ensuring their children receive polio drops, warning that failure to do so could lead to permanent disability. “It is a national problem, and we all have to play our part to solve it,” he stated, emphasizing the provincial government’s commitment to use all available resources to eliminate the virus.
Strict Measures for Campaign Success
The Chief Secretary assured that foolproof security would be provided to all teams involved in the campaign. If necessary, Frontier Corps (FC) personnel will be deployed in certain districts to ensure the safety of workers. “No negligence will be tolerated, and strict action will be taken against anyone attempting to obstruct the teams,” Khan warned.
Coordination with Community Leaders
To maximize the campaign’s success, the Chief Secretary urged scholars, tribal leaders, and religious figures to actively participate in convincing hesitant parents. He further instructed all Deputy Commissioners to attend the evening review meetings throughout the campaign.
Preparation Underway
More than 11,000 teams have been prepared to administer the vaccine to children across the province. The Chief Secretary expressed confidence that if the upcoming three campaigns are successful, the virus can be eradicated.
