HYDERABAD, Aug 3: The EDO, community development, has urged NGOs and opinion leaders to come forward and join hands with the government in its efforts to eradicate polio. EDO Mohammad Ibrahim Qureshi was presiding over a meeting about launching of a three-day anti-polio campaign from Aug 9 in the Hyderabad district.

He maintained that objectives of a campaign could not be achieved without community participation. Therefore, he added, NGOs and opinion leaders should motivate people to vaccinate their children against polio.

He formed taluka-wise committees, headed by DDOs of the social welfare department with representatives of NGOs as members, to arrange kutchehris at each taluka of the district to create awareness among people about importance of the anti- polio campaign. Referring to the report of 14 refusal cases in the Sher Mohammad Bhurgri village, Hyderabad taluka, he asked the committee concerned to identify all refusal cases in the district and submit details before the start of the anti-polio drive. He said committees would also be formed to motivate people who had refused to vaccinate their children.

The EDO, health, said the health department in collaboration with other organizations was circulating informative material and holding seminars and conferences to create awareness among people about polio.