PESHAWAR, Nov 13: The health department is planning epidemiological studies in polio-endemic districts to determine causes of the spread of polio virus, says provincial Health Minister Inayatullah Khan.

Addressing the inauguration ceremony of a three-day polio campaign at the Khyber Teaching Hospital (KTH) on Monday, he said the NWFP faced an uphill task of stemming the tide of polio virus.

"The study to be carried out immediately would give us a clear picture about loopholes in the strategy we are following to cope with the situation. In the light of the study, we would be able to overcome our shortcomings,” he said.

The NWFP and Federally

Administered Tribal Areas reported 12 polio cases this year, he said.

The anti-polio campaign is starting from Nov 14, he said, adding that vaccinators would go door-to-door to ensure that no children are left out.

The minister pointed out that unhindered movement of Afghan refugees was a major hurdle in the way of polio eradication from tribal areas.

He said a meeting of the district coordination officers and executive district officers would be held under the chairmanship of the chief secretary to work out a plan to control polio in the high-risk districts.

Dr Abdul Jabbar, team leader of the World Health Organisation’s Polio Eradication Initiative for NWFP and Fata, said the province had 22 polio-endemic districts in 1997 but the situation had improved as there are only five such districts now.

"The main problems facing the province and Fata are chronic refusal cases and a poor vaccination coverage," he said, asking the health officials to perform with devotion to save the future generation from being crippled.

Health Secretary Abdul Samad Khan stressed the need for raising awareness about oral polio vaccines (OPV).

He informed the gathering that people demanded water, sanitation and other facilities in exchange of getting their children vaccinated.

Unicef's Global Adviser for Polio Eradication Dr Rafah Aziz expressed concern that most polio victims in the province and Fata had not been given OPV in the previous campaign this year.