CHITRAL: The polio refusal cases in Chitral were brought to zero during the last national immunisation days (NIDs) campaign.

This was disclosed at a meeting of the district polio eradication committee (DPEC) on Friday.

Chaired by acting deputy commissioner Hayat Shah, the meeting reviewed the preparations for the forthcoming NIDs starting from Feb 17. The meeting explored alternative options in case of snowfall in the higher terrains of the district.

District coordinator of Expanded Programme on Immunisation, Dr Fayyaz Rumi told the meeting that for 70,943 children, 510 teams had been constituted, excluding the fixed centres set up at hospitals and transit points at Lowari Pass, the airport and the bus stands.

He said a micro-plan at union council level was being prepared and special meetings would be held in each union council to ensure success of the drive keeping in view the local context.

The acting deputy commissioner took exception to the absence of heads of various government departments, and warned that such a tendency won’t be tolerated in the next meetings.

District police officer, Upper Chitral, Zulfiqar Tanoli, district health officer Dr Mujeebur Rahman, assistant commissioner Shahzad Ahmed, district officer social welfare Khizar Hayat and other officials of health department were in attendance.

Published in Dawn, February 8th, 2020