RAWALPINDI: The health department is waiting to get the go-ahead from the local administration to launch an anti-polio campaign in the tehsils of Rawalpindi, Gujar Khan and Taxila.

For the last one month, the department has not been able to administer polio drops to the children in these areas. In routine, three campaigns are launched in the high risk union councils of the tehsils every month.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) and the health department had declared some tehsils of the Rawalpindi district as high risk after a large number of people from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Fata settled there.

The health department postponed a drive in the tehsils soon after Eidul Fitr due to the shortage of staff.

Health dept waiting for a green signal from local admin

Later, it had again to call off two campaigns - after August 10 and August 25 - due to the blockades of roads in the wake of the sit-ins in Islamabad.

Executive District Officer (health) Dr Zafar Iqbal Gondal confirmed to Dawn that the anti-polio campaign had been postponed in the tehsils of Rawalpindi, Gujar Khan and Taxila.

However, the children were administered polio drops in the Murree teshil during a five-day campaign, which started on Aug 25.

He said the other three tehsils - Kalar Syedan, Kahuta and Kotli Sattian - were apparently safe and routine anti-polio drops had been administered to the children there.

He said 46 union councils in the Rawalpindi city, 10 in the Cantonment, 33 in Gujar Khan and six in Taxila were being targeted for the anti-polio campaign.

“The objective is to avoid the chances of poliovirus’ spread in these areas as most of the people from KP and Fata are residing there.

“The children from KP and Fata are not properly vaccinated against the poliovirus.”

The official said an anti-polio drive would be launched after getting a green signal from the local administration.

Published in Dawn, August 29th, 2014