KHAR/GHALANAI: A three-day anti-polio drive will start in Bajaur and Mohmand agencies today (Monday) amid tight security to ensure safety of health workers.

Speaking at the launching ceremony of the anti-polio drive at Khar on Sunday, Bajaur Political Agent Syed Abdul Jabar Shah asked the local health department and World Health Organisation to accelerate efforts to purge the tribal region of poliovirus.

Tribal elders, ulema, social activists, WHO representatives and local officials were in attendance.

The Bajaur political agent also urged elders, ulema and social workers to extend their support in the anti-polio drive to eliminate the disease in the agency.

He called upon parents to administer oral polio vaccine to their children to protect them from the fatal ailment.

Meanwhile, agency surgeon Dr Zakir Hussain told journalists that 624 teams would vaccinate 223,570 children against polio in Bajaur.

He said Bajaur Levies personnel and members of local peace committees had been deployed to provide security to polio workers.

In Mohmand, agency surgeon Dr Dawood Khan Mohmand launched the anti-polio campaign. Speaking on the occasion, he said there was no no-go area in Mohmand.

“It is our main objective to administer vaccine to each and every child below five to protect them from poliovirus,” he said.

Dr Dawood said the administration had provided foolproof security to polio teams to make the campaign a success.

He said 361 mobile, 39 fixed and 8 transit teams had been set up to vaccinate 87,850 children during the drive. He said 92 supervisors had also been appointed in this respect.

He said two teams would also administer polio drops to children crossing Pak-Afghan border at Chamarkand and Mettai areas. He said there were no refusal cases in the agency.