Balochistan Government Striving Hard To Eradicate Polio Virus: Shakeel Qadir

QUETTA, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 6th Sep, 2024) Balochistan Chief Secretary Shakeel Qadir Khan the provincial government is striving hard to ensure complete eradication of polio various in the province.

The seven-day anti-polio drive would be commenced in the entire province from September 9 (Monday), he said while presiding a high-level meeting regarding the preparations for anti-polio campaign in the province.

He urged the parents to ensure their children are vaccinated during this campaign to protect them from permanent disability and prevent the spread of poliovirus in the province.

Shakeel Qadir Khan stressed that stern measures should be taken for the success of anti-polio campaign and emphasized the critical importance of vaccination in protecting children from the debilitating effects of polio.

He said that fool proof security would be provided to all the teams participating in the polio campaign to vaccinate every child under five years of age.

The chief secretary warned that no negligence would be tolerated and strict action will be taken against those who try to interrupt the polio campaign in the province.

He said that FC will be deployed in some districts if required to ensure foolproof security to the teams administrating vaccination drops to eradicate the polio virus from Balochistan.

Shakeel Qadir urged the public to ensure their cooperation with the polio teams during the campaign to curb the spread of polio virus which is a national issue.

The chief secretary pledged that collaborative efforts would be taken to reach every child with immunization services and administered the anti-polio drops in the upcoming campaign.

Shakeel Qadir vowed that the government has determined to launch three special anti-polio campaign in the province to get all children under the age of five vaccinated to keep them protected from paralytic polio.

He expressed hoped that if the special anti-polio drives planned in view of recent surge of polio cases from Balochistan will successful, the virus would be eradicated completely.

The chief secretary expressed concerns while sharing the facts that 12 out of total 17 polio cases have been reported this year from Balochistan province.

He instructed all Deputy Commissioners and District Health Officers (DHOs) to attend Evening Review Meeting.

The Chief Secretary urged the public to cooperate with the administration in convincing the parents who were refusing the polio vaccination as this is a common problem of the whole society.

He also called up the political and tribal leaders and religious scholars and members of civil societies to play their vital role to make polio campaign successful.

The Chief Secretary has also orders to assign the duties of all lady health workers, lady health visitors of the health department in the anti-polio drive to make the campaign successful.

He issued instruction that the staff of the line departments will also perform their duties in the upcoming anti-polio campaign to get maximum results.

During the campaign, a target number of 2.65 million children will be vaccinated and a total of 11,446 teams will be working.

The chief secretary said that as many as 12 cases of Polio has been reported in Balochistan in the first eight months of the current year from Chaman, Dera Bugti, Qilla Abdullah, Jhal Magsi, Zhob, Killa Saifullah and Kharan .

During the last year, environmental samples indicated the presence of the polio virus in different districts of the province.

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