Ongoing polio campaign: 7 children of reluctant parents immunized

Ghulam Mursalin Marwat

LAKKI MARWAT: Several children of reluctant parents were immunized against polio during the ongoing three polio eradication campaign. Local deputy commissioner Jehangir Azam Wazir himself visited rural localities when fields staffers informed him that parents are not willing to get their children administered with oral polio vaccine.

Wazir monitored the anti polio drive in Tajazai, Ghaznikhel, Jabukhel and other rural localities. Officials of health department and partners’ organizations also accompanied him. The deputy commissioner examined arrangements for kids’ vaccination in rural health facilities and covered refusal cases. He met reluctant parents and convinced them on immunization of their children below the age of five against the crippling disease.

He himself administered anti polio drops to several children and called upon people especially parents to cooperate with polio workers. “Polio is a fatal disease and it can cause lifelong paralyse to children”, he maintained, adding that we can save our kids from the hazards of disease by administering them with two drops of anti polio vaccine in every round. He asked the polio workers to access every child to ensure his/her immunization against the epidemic. He warned that the administration would not tolerate any negligence on part of field workers and health authorities tasked with monitoring the three day campaign.