F.P. Report
PESHAWAR: A three -day special anti-polio campaign has been planned in the selected high risk union councils of Peshawar, Kohat and Hangu including 32 Afghan camps by Emergency Operations Center (EOC) Khyber Pakhtunkhwa from January 31, 2018.
This was decided in a meeting held here at EOC KP with Coordinator EOC Atif Rehman in the chair. Team Leader UNICEF Dr Johar, WHO Team Leader Dr Abdi Nasir, Team Leader N Stop Dr Ejaz Ali Shah and other relevant staff were present on the occasion.
Speaking on the occasion, EOC Coordinator Atif Rehman said that the special campaign was decided after the detection of polio virus in the environmental samples collected from Peshawar and Kohat.
Shedding light on the need for holding the special anti-polio drive, he said that that it was the fourth consecutive time that environmental sample of Peshawar was reported positive while for the first time environmental sample of Kohat was also positive showing circulation of virus in the districts.
It was the virus circulation and presence of polio virus in the sewage water that prompted EOC to decide a special drive in these districts so as to help stop virus circulation and prevent reporting of polio cases from these districts and other adjoining districts of the province for that matter, he added.
Atif Rehman said that Peshawar remained polio free for the last two years while only one case has been reported from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa which shows a marked decline in the number of polio cases. “we need to sustain the successes achieved so far in the war against polio and can not afford complacency” he added.
EOC Coordinator held an appeal to the parents and cross segments of society to support the government in reaching the finish line by the year end and vaccinate their children in every round of campaign when teams visit their house
Earlier, he was briefed that special anti-polio campaign will start from 31 January till 2nd February during which 3.24 million children will be administered polio drops in 28 union councils of Peshawar, 11 UCs of Kohat and 8 UCs of district Hangu.
The Data reveal that more than 02.53 will be vaccinated in Peshawar, 58068 children in Kohat and 13434 in Hangu during the drive for which 426 teams have been constituted out of which 238 mobile, 86 fixed, 54 roaming while 48 were roaming teams.
The meeting was informed that special security measures were taken to ensure safe working environment to the teams.
