As many as 3,663,626
children under five-year of age would be vaccinated in three days polio eradication campaign, which will kick off simultaneously in 17 districts of Khyber Pakthunkhwa from Monday.
In Fata, anti-polio drops would be provided to 937,029 children during the period for which all arrangements have been completed by the Government.
Dr Jan Baz Afridi, Deputy Director, Extended Programme Immunization (EPI), Khyber Pakthunkhwa told APP here on Thursday as many as 9575 mobile, 1007 fixed and 560 transit teams have been constituted for vaccination in selected districts of Khyber Paktunkhwa.
To administer anti-polio drops to children in Fata, he said, 2778 mobile, 252 fixed and 86 transit teams have been formed that will visit far flung and vulnerable areas of Fata to vaccinate children at their doorstep. He said the Health Department has given task to these teams to ensure 100 per cent target.
According to World Health Organization, as many as 167 cases have been reported from the country this year including 49 from Fata, 18 in KP, 5 in Punjab, 30 in Sindh and 64 in Balochistan. As many as 19 cases had been reported in 2001, 90 cases in 2002, 103 (2003), 53 (2004), 28 (2005), 40 (2006), 32 (2007), 117 (2009), 89 (2009) and 144 (2010) in the country.
To a question about variation in reported cases, Dr Jan Baz said security situation, refusal cases, cross border movement and religious factor etc are the major reasons that hamper efforts to completely eradicate the crippling disease from the country.
He said the President and Prime Minister were taking keen interests in polio eradication programmes keeping in view its paramount importance.
Under the Prime Minister's Action Plan against polio, the campaign would be monitored at the grassroots level. He assured foolproof security to the staff and field workers for extensive vaccination in Fata and KP.
Underling the need for active role of media, Ulema and other segment of the society in making the programme a success, he said refusal cases could be tackled effectively by educating masses on constant basis, saying polio-free Pakistan was the dream of Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto Shaheed and the government would realize her dream at every cost.
For a polio-free Pakistan, he said, the government was actively engaged with world partners and international donor agencies and time was not far away when this crippling disease would completely be wiped out.
He said refusal cases are one of the major hurdles for increase in polio cases in KP and sought the role of media and Ulema for education of masses to discourage this tendency. Special emphasis is being made on advocacy campaigns for education of parents in far flung and remote areas, capacity building of staff and involvement of religious scholars and elected representative to achieve desired results.
The necessary logistics including vaccines, finger-markers, social mobilization materials and recording forms have been provided to the districts, he added.
He urged parents and guardians to bring their kids to the nearest Basic Health Units (BHUs) and hospitals in case mobile teams did not reach their homes.
Dr Jan Baz said it was our collective responsibility and religious obligation to work and support Government's endeavors by vaccinating their kids against polio so that no child in future could become crippled.
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