08 January 2005	Saturday	26 Ziqa'ad 1425

PESHAWAR, Jan 7: NWFP Health Minister Inayatullah Khan formally handed over 100 motorcycles to the executive district officers of the health department for better supervision of immunization programme in the province.

In a ceremony held here on Thursday, the minister distributed the motorcycles, provided jointly by the Microsoft giant Bill Gates-sponsored Global Alliance for Vaccination and Immunization (Gavi) and Unicef, among the EDOs to be allotted to EPI supervisors.

EPI Deputy Director Dr Waheed Khan and district coordinators were present on the occasion. Similarly, Unicef's programme officer also handed over the first instalment of computers to the health minister for improving the monitoring of EPI programme in the province.

The minister while underlining the need for accelerating efforts to eradicate polio, termed mass awareness as indispensable to achieve the target. Educate religious leaders and social workers about prevention of diseases, the minister asked the health authorities.

Stressing the need for producing informative materials in local languages to educate people, the minister asked Unicef and other donor agencies to cooperate in this regard.