CS Inaugurates 2nd Phase Of Anti-polio Drive In 19 Districts Of KP

Chief Secretary Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Dr Shahzad Khan Bangash has said on Monday that every campaign is an opportunity to stop virus transmission in the region by reaching out to the vulnerable communities at their doorsteps

PESHAWAR, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 24th Jan, 2022 ) :Chief Secretary Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Dr Shahzad Khan Bangash has said on Monday that every campaign is an opportunity to stop virus transmission in the region by reaching out to the vulnerable communities at their doorsteps.

He said this while inaugurating 2nd phase of the first anti-polio drive of the year here at Sifat Ghayoor Children hospital wherein over 3.4 million children will be inoculated against polio.

Additional Secretary Health & Coordinator Emergency Operations Center Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Abdul Basit, Deputy Commissioner Peshawar Capt � Khalid Mehmood, Additional Deputy Commissioner (Relief), Imran Khan, Assistant Commissioner, Dr Ahtisham, representatives of partner staff and hospital administration was also present on the occasion.

Talking to media on the occasion, Dr Shahzad said that the province has made a good progress in the battle against polio despite multiple challenges as no wild polio virus case has been reported in the province for over 18 months now.

However, he went on to add that Peshawar and South KP particularly Bannu and D.I.Khan Divisions still present highest risk in the Province and needs maximum focus and peak performance.

"I appeal to the parents and caregivers to support the government's efforts in stopping WPV transmission by vaccinating their children in every anti-polio campaign", he added.

The top provincial bureaucrat said that the district administrators have been directed to provide foolproof security to teams, ensure quality campaign and to bring the poor performers to task.

He hoped that with the current level of ownership by the government, motivation and hard work of the frontline workers and support of cross segments of society, remaining challenges in polio eradication will be overcome and the last endemic region will be purged of the virus soon.

Earlier, Coordinator EOC Abdul Basit informed the media that the first round of January campaign has been successfully completed in Bannu and D.I.Khan Divisions while the second round has been kicked off today in 19 districts of the province.

He informed that the 2nd phase of the January campaign will be carried out in Peshawar, Nowshera, Charsadda, Khyber, Mohmand, Mardan, Swabi, Kohat, Hangu, Karak, Orakzai, Kurram, Dir Lower, Bajaur and in Union Councils with Afghan Refugees Camps in Haripur, Mansehra, Buner, Malakand and Chitral.

Likewise, Abdul Basit said that 14887 total teams have been constituted for phase two of the January campaign out of which 13287 are mobile teams, 953 fixed teams, 611 roaming teams and 36 transit teams.

He said that 4949 area in-charges and 1156 Union Council polio Eradication chairmen have been deployed to monitor quality of the campaign and rectify existing gaps at the grassroot level.