QUETTA: A polio eradication campaign will be launched in 33 districts of Balochistan on Feb 17 to vaccinate 2.5 million children.

Addressing a press conference here on Thursday, the coordinator of the Emergency Operation Centre, Baloch­istan, Rashid Razzaq, urged scholars and parents to support polio workers during the four-day campaign.

He said that due to negative propaganda last year the difficulties of polio workers had increased.

Dr Thomasine of the World Health Organisation, Dr Masood Jogezai and Maulana Anwar-ul-Haq Haqqani were also present on the occasion.

Mr Razzaq said 8,949 mobile teams, 955 fixed sites and 591 transit points would take part in the campaign. He said one polio case was reported in Balochistan this year, while the number was 12 in 2019.

He said special focus of the campaign would be on transit points to prevent the spread of poliovirus. He said all security arrangements had been completed and Balochistan Levies and police and Frontier Corps personnel would provide additional security to polio workers.

Published in Dawn, February 14th, 2020