Polio Drops Declared Mandatory For All, Crossing Pak-Afghan Border At Chaman

QUETTA, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 21st Apr, 2019 ) :Every individual, crossing Pak-Afghan international boarder at Chaman on April 22, would be vaccinated with anti-polio drops, whether male, female or a minor,under the three day anti-polio vaccination campaign starting Monday.

The Government of Pakistan has declared mandatory anti-polio drops for all at Chaman border from April 22, said Coordinator Emergency Operation Center (EOC), Balochistan, Rashid Razzaq while talking to APP here Sunday.

A three days Anti-Polio campaign will be kicked-off in 33 districts of Balochistan from Monday (22th April) in which more than 1.7 million children will be given polio drops.

Coordinator Emergency Operation Center (EOC), Balochistan, Rashid Razzaq elaborated the campaign and said all possible measures were being taken to conduct the vaccination in an effective and well organized way.

"Every month around 40,000 children cross Pak-Afghan friendship-gate at Chaman border, thus the route has significant importance in terms of administrating children with anti-polio drops", he said. "From April 22, 2019 we are going to start anti-polio vaccination of all individuals at Chaman border, children below the age of 10 have to be administrated with polio drops whenever they cross the transit points while individuals above 10 would be vaccinated once in a year and will be issued polio vaccination cards." Rashid Razzaq added.

During current year, six new polio cases appeared in Pakistan; four from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, one from Punjab and one from Sindh.

He mentioned the World Health Organization had imposed strict travel restriction on countries including Pakistan on May 2014 to prevent the possible threat of spread polio virus. Since the inevitable ban, Pakistani nationals were being administrated with anti-polio drops at all International Airports. "Security forces including police, levies Force and Balochistan FC have given assignment to ensure protection of polio workers during anti-polio campaign in Province", Rashid Razzaq said and added religious scholars would also take part in polio drive to persuade the parents who normally do not support polio drops.

The three days anti-polio drive has commenced in Quetta, Pishin, Killa Abdullah, Barkhan, Bolan, Chagai, Dera Bugti, Dukki, Jaffarabad, Jhal Magsi, Khuzdar, Killa Saifullah, Lasbela, Loralai, Mastung, Musa Khel, Nasirabad, Sherani, Sohbat Pur, Zhob and Ziarat, Quetta, Killa Abdullah, Pishin and other districts have been declared as High-risk areas where polio virus is still active and endangering children for lifetime disability, said Rashid Razzaq.

He urged parents to administer their children with anti-polio drops and should cooperate with polio workers in order to save their children from lifetime disability. Only with active support of the civil society, religious scholars and media can ensure achieving the noble national goal of eradication of the polio virus.

Worth mentioning that about 6845 teams, 5960 mobile teams, 488 fixed points and 397 transit points have been assigned in 33 districts of Balochistan.