QUETTA: Polio booths have been set up at three airports in Balochistan, including the Quetta International Airport, to administer drops to passengers travelling abroad.

Zhob and Gwadar are the other airports where the booths have been set up.

Health Secretary Arshad Bugti inaugurated the polio booth at the Quetta airport during a ceremony held on Saturday.

“For the past 22 months no polio case has been reported in any area of Balochistan and we are close to declaring Balochistan a polio-free province,” he said while speaking to reporters.

“In Balochistan 47 permanent transit points have been established to ensure children entering or leaving the province got vaccinated,” he said.

“Efforts are afoot to engage the civil society, politicians and tribal notables to make the [anti-polio] drive a success,” the secretary said.

Director General Health Naseer Baloch, Quetta Deputy Commissioner Abdul Latif Kakar and District Health Officer Sher Ahmed Satakzai were present.

Published in Dawn, June 1st, 2014