RAWALPINDI: In its effort to convince the Pashtoon population of Rawalpindi to vaccinate their children against polio, the health department on Friday arranged a meeting of notables from 28 high-risk union councils of the district.

During the “anti-polio Jirga” held at the health department, it was decided that a five-member team would be formed in every union council to tackle the refusal cases during anti-polio campaigns.

In case any family refuses to vaccinate their children, the polio workers will approach the special team in the area who would convince the family to vaccinate the children.

It may be noted that polio workers faced problems in vaccinating children in the Pashtoon populated union councils, especially Union Council No 1 to 10 along I.J.Principal Road and Pirwadhai. During the recent campaigns, over 100 families refused to vaccinate their children in these areas.

The environment sampling of sewer in the city also indicated the presence of polio virus in these localities. The World Health Organisation (WHO) took samples of sewage from Safdarabad in Pirwadhai and Dhoke Dalal in which polio virus was detected.

Decision taken at Jirga of notables from 28 high-risk UCs of Rawalpndi

The meeting was attended by two main groups of Pashtoon population led by Pashtoon Ittehad president Hanif Khan and Mastan Khan. District Coordination Officer (DCO) Sajid Zafar Dall, Executive District Officer Health Dr Khalid Randhawa, former MNA Malik Shakil Awan, former MPA Ziaullah Shah and more than 70 people from the union councils attended the meeting.

The government officials and PML-N local leaders told the Pashtoon leaders that the anti-polio vaccination was not Haram (prohibited) in Islam and the immunisation was not harmful for the health of children.

The health department officials explained to the participants that prominent religious scholars had also stressed the importance of anti-polio vaccination.

During the question and answer session, the EDO health said vaccination was not harmful for the health of male children as the same vaccination was provided in all Muslim countries and was even necessary for Haj travel.

He said the health department wanted to vaccinate every child below the age of five years.

In reply to a question, the DCO explained that the government wanted to vaccinate the children to protect them against the crippling disease.

Former MNA Malik Shakil Awan said all the children had been vaccinated against polio in Punjab while three cases had been detected in the province during the current year.

However, he said the polio virus would spread in the province people refused to vaccinate their children.

Published in Dawn December 6th , 2014