MARDAN/BUNER: The authorities have planned to divide Mardan in three zones for carrying out anti-polio campaign and immunise 183,610 children in Buner against the crippling disease.

Chairing a meeting on Wednesday, Mardan Deputy Commissioner Amir Latif said that the anti-polio drive would be started on Feb 24 in the district.

He said that 352,716 children would be administered anti-polio drops with different intervals from Feb 24 to March 7.

The government was committed to carry on anti-polio efforts at all costs to save children from the crippling disease, the official said. He said that anti-polio drops would be administered to children in the entire district.

Mr Latif expressed satisfaction over security arrangements for anti-polio drive.

Meanwhile, Buner District Health Officer Dr Mohammad Aqil Farooqi said that a meeting would be held at Dr Qadeer Khan Colony in Daggar on Thursday to finalise arrangements for the anti-polio drive.

He told journalists that 183,610 children below five years would be administered anti-polio drops during the campaign. He said that they would try to cover those children, who were missed during the previous campaigns.

Dr Farooqi said that 128 area in-charges were already imparted training while training for the members of 460 mobile teams, 39 transit points and 26 fixed sites concluded on Wednesday.

But some of them were not available to attend the training owing to their personal reasons, the DHO said, adding that another session of training would be held on Thursday for them.

He said that at the end of the training session, tehsil monitors of World Health Organisation and district health team would review arrangements for the drive. They would see that if the drive could be carried out in the entire district, he said.

“The go-ahead signal will be given if security situation is satisfactory and required staff and logistics are available,” the DHO said.

He said that those health workers, who were found negligent during the previous drive, were fired.

He said that lady health workers Fareeda Bibi and Chand Bibi were terminated while explanations were sought from lady health supervisor Islamia Bibi and lady health worker Nishtahar.

The DHO alleged that education department was not cooperating with them to eradicate polio.

He said that educated people should realise the situation and make efforts for eradication of the crippling disease.