KHAR: A three-day special anti-polio campaign will start in Bajaur today (Monday) to vaccinate over 228,000 children against the crippling disease.

Additional deputy commissioner Mehmood Ahmed inaugurated the campaign here at a ceremony attended by officials of the health department, district administration and WHO and local elders.

Mr Ahmed called upon the health officials to make the campaign successful. He urged the elders to support the health department during the anti-polio drive.

The health officials briefed the participants about the preparation being made for the first drive in Bajaur after Fata-KP merger. They said that there were no threats to the polio teams in any part of the region.

Later, Dr Wazir Khan said that a total of 228,300 children under five years of age would be given oral polio vaccine (OPV) across the district. He stated that 657 mobile, 41 fixed and 12 transit teams had been formed for the purpose.

Meanwhile, an official of the local health department told this correspondent on condition of anonymity on Sunday that drive was planned after water samples from different areas of Khar tehsil tested positive for polio virus some weeks ago. He said the environmental samples were sent to a laboratory in Islamabad for testing.

NO ELECTRICITY: Supply of electricity to most parts of Bajaur has been suspended for the last two weeksowing to faults in transmission lines.

Residents said that most parts of Bajaur, including urban and rural areas, have been without power for the last two weeks. Khalid Khan, a resident of Sadiqabad town, said that power supply had been suspended in both the rural and urban areas of the region.

The residents have urged the Tribal Electric Supply Company to take immediate steps for restoration of power supply. They said that Tesco should inform them about any loadshedding or power suspension in case of any repair work. They said that due to prolonged power suspension the local people had been facing water shortage besides other problems.

Published in Dawn, July 2nd, 2018