QUETTA: A three-day anti-polio drive will start in Quetta on Saturday, two days ahead of the security engagements for Muharram processions, which begin Oct 14.

A total of 38 cases have been reported across the country this year, out of which six cases were reported in Balochistan province.

According to the Emergency Operation Centre (EOC) Balochistan, all arrangements have been completed for the Sub-National Immunisation Day (SNID) campaign in 12 districts of the province.

The campaign in Quetta will start two days before other 11 districts — Killa Abdullah, Pishin, Killa Saifullah, Khuzdar, Loralai, Jaffarabad, Nasirabad, Dera Bugti, Lasbela, Sherani and Zhob.

At least 375,906 children will be administered anti-polio drops in Quetta alone, while 927 polio teams will be working during the three days.

Related: Polio and Pakistan

A spokesperson for EOC Balochistan said, "The three-day drive is aimed at vaccinating over 1.36 million children in 12 districts, including Quetta."

"Around 27,998 children of Afghan refugees will be administered anti-polio drops," the spokesperson also said.

As many as 3,320 mobile teams, 357 fixed teams and 173 teams will be working at Transit Points.

Secretary Health Balochistan Noorul Haq Baloch has said the drive will be better than the previous one as the provincial chief secretary will himself monitor the campaign.

“The previous campaign in September was comparatively better but we are expecting to further improve the quality of this campaign,” he said.

“Laxity will be acceptable in no terms. We are committed to eradicating polio from Balochistan at the earliest.”

Around two dozen polio cases were reported from Balochistan last year. The most affected areas in the province include Quetta, Killa Abdullah and Pishin district.

The government has declared a polio emergency throughout the province to root out the crippling virus from the region. But the anti-polio drive in the province has been marred by instances of terrorism, whereby polio health workers have been attacked and killed on numerous occasions.

Pakistan and Afghanistan are the only two countries in the world which have not been able to eradicate the polio-virus while no case of polio virus was reported in Nigeria over a year.