Health dept to engage female teachers in anti-polio drive

Ghulam Mursalin Marwat

LAKKI MARWAT: The District Health Department has decided to engage female schoolteachers in the upcoming anti polio drive to achieve the immunization of targeted population against crippling disease successfully.

The decision to this effect was taken in a meeting held at the district headquarters complex Tajazai on Saturday. Local deputy commissioner Muhammad Shahid Sohail presided over the meeting where DHO Dr Essa Khan, EPI coordinator Dr Umar Faisal, LHW coordinator Dr Tariq Salim Marwat, DHIS coordinator Dr Kifayat Bettanni, DSP Afsar Khan, district khateeb Maulana Abdul Wahab, ADEO Abdul Rehman Rashid and officials of line department were in attendance.

“There is a dearth of lady health workers in several union councils where female teachers will be hired to run polio eradication campaign”, said a health official. He said the teachers provide by female education department would be made part of polio teams in Tajazai, Sulemankhel, Bakhmal Ahmadzai, Paharkhel, Samandi and Shakh Quli Khan union councils.

The official said that the health department had formed 782 teams to administer anti polio vaccine to around 185775 kids during the coming drive commencing from May 7. The deputy commissioner stressed the need for launching concerted efforts to wipe out the epidemic from district completely.

“Children are our future asset and to keep them safe from fatal polio disease is our national and moral duty”, he maintained, assuring that the district administration and line departments will extend all out support to the health authorities to make the campaign a success. He also assured that district administration and police officials would assist health authorities and polio teams to ensure coverage of refusal cases. Mr. Sohail said that effective monitoring of polio teams during anti polio drive and catch up activity would be ensured and that negligent staffers would face stern action.