Governor Mehtab Abbasi has urged all segments of society, including the media, parents, teachers and religious scholars, to play their role in eradicating polio from the country.
Addressing journalists after a meeting with Unicef Regional Director for South Asia Karin Hulshof at Pakhtunkhwa House in Islamabad on Thursday, Mehtab said an immunisation drive will be carried out in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa during the next three months on the pattern of Sehat ka Insaf which was conducted in Peshawar by the provincial government.
He added immunisation drives in North and South Waziristan will be carried with the help of Pakistan Army.
“We are working to augment our strategy under which every child in the tribal areas as well as those residing in IDP camps will be immunised against polio,” said Mehtab. He added, “We will leave no stone unturned in eradicating the virus in the shortest possible time.”
In response to a query, the governor said children from families which have migrated from North Waziristan Agency have been vaccinated. Similarly, children belonging to Khyber and South Waziristan agencies are also being immunised.
The virus, Mehtab said, has not only put the affected children’s futures at stake but has also been a cause of embarrassment for the country.
The governor also condemned the killing of polio workers in tribal areas. He said adequate steps have been taken to ensure the security of the workers.
Speaking about funds meant for eradication, Mehtab maintained the government is not short on finance and allocations have been increased so that the polio emergency can be tackled.
On the occasion, Unicef Regional Director Hulshof said all development partners of Pakistan, including Unicef, will stay in the country and help the government eradicate polio.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 7th, 2014.
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