QUETTA: Balochistan Chief Minister Dr. Abdul Malik Baloch said his government is making utmost efforts to make Balochistan a polio-free province by giving special focus to the areas where challenges are serious in carrying out successful anti-polio campaigns.

Malik Baloch expressed these views while chairing a meeting at CM Secretariat on Wednesday, in which it was decided that during the upcoming campaigns special focus will be paid on challenging areas like Killa Abdullah, Pishin and certain parts of Quetta district.

The meeting was held with heads of partner agencies, which included the chairman of Technical Advisory Group (TAG) on polio Jean Marc Oliver, Polio Officer Aidan O’Leary, Unicef Deputy Chief Jalpa Ratna, Unicef Polio Team Lead Dr. Jawahir Habib, WHO Team Lead Dr. Ibrahim Yallow and Technical Consultant BMG Dr. Masood Khan Jogezai.

During the meeting, Balochistan Chief Secretary Saifullah Chatta and Secretary Health Noorul Haq Baloch deliberated about the recent campaigns in Balochistan and the challenges faced in holding it.

The chief minister said it is good to hear that there has been a significant improvement in vaccinating children during the anti-polio drive held in September.

“My government has right from the first day committed to improve the law and order situation, health and education in Balochistan,” he said.

Jean Marc Oliver, TAG chair on Polio, informed the meeting that anti-polio teams in Balochistan did a good job in last campaign but the issue of no teams in recent campaign was seen a serious challenge.

“There were no teams at some places during the campaign, which I think is a manageable issue,” he said. He urged the government to first focus on the issue of areas where there was no team present to carry out anti-polio campaign.

Malik said the provincial chief secretary and health secretary have been instructed to be fully engage in providing better healthcare facilities to the people of Balochistan and ensure that the children are vaccinated against the preventable diseases.

After the briefing, Chief Minister said it is essential to pay more attention on Quetta, Pishin and Killa Abdullah where challenges are serious.

“The next polio campaign in October will be better, more effective and organised,” the chief minister assured the heads of partner agencies.

He said his government along with the partner agencies will ensure that every child in the province is vaccinated against the crippling virus, making Balochistan polio free before other provinces.

The chief minister said international community should know that law and order situation in Balochistan has been significantly improved despite serious challenges.

“The province is now more peaceful than before. We have enough educated female and male workers in the province. The perception that we lack educated female is totally wrong.”

The provincial chief secretary informed the meeting that the power of transferring DHOs in Killa Abdullah, Quetta and Pishin has been handed over to Secretary Health.

On this, Secretary Health Noorul Haq Baloch said health department is going to deploy experienced medical officers in high risk areas and where issues are serious in carrying out successful anti-polio campaign.

“I assure you that the campaign will be better and more effective this time,” Noorul Haq Baloch said.