QUETTA: Starting from Nov 10, a four-day polio eradication campaign is being launched in all 32 districts of Balochistan during which around 2.4 million children will be vaccinated. Tight security arrangements are being made for the campaign.

A meeting held here on Sunday with Chief Secretary Saifullah Chattah in the chair reviewed arrangements for the campaign.

Mr Chattah directed the health department and other departments concerned to make all arrangements for its success.

Also read: Pak, Afghan officials to improve anti-polio drives in border areas

He said all out efforts were being made for making Balochistan a polio-free province this year.

Tight security arrangements being made for vaccinators

The meeting was informed that the health department had formed 6,463 mobile teams, 782 fixed support centres and 311 transit points to effectively conduct the campaign.

Additional Secretary Health Abdullah Khan said that 13,000 vaccinators and other workers would take part in the campaign.

Quetta, Pishin and Qila Abdullah have been declared high polio risk areas because most of the polio cases detected in the province this year were reported from these districts.

Abdullah Khan said special attention would be paid to these three districts.

The provincial government has devised a special security plan for the campaign involving a large number of security personnel.

The meeting was informed that complete security would be provided to vaccinators and other workers.

Officials urged parents to cooperate with vaccinators. They called upon the media, religious leaders, social workers and councillors to play their role for the success of the campaign.

Published in Dawn, November 9th, 2015

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