TAXILA: A three-day anti-polio drive kicked off on Monday in all six tehsils of Attock district as part of the sub-national polio eradication campaign.

President of PTI in the district Qazi Ahmed Akbar inaugurated the campaign by administering polio drops to children under the age of five at Tehsil Headquarters (THQ) Hospital Hazro while Deputy Commissioner Ali Annan Qamar, Assistant Commissioner Shagufta Jabeen, officials from the health department, Punjab polio programme and World Health Organisation (WHO) were also present.

Speaking on this occasion, Mr Qamar said 1,160 polio teams are participating in the campaign; the district administration has set a target to administer polio drops to 296,662 children. He said teams have been formed and divided into three categories including a mobile, fixed and transit team, that will visit every household and hospital to administer polio drops to children.

These teams, he said, are in the field and proper security measures have been taken for their protection to avoid an unpleasant incident. On directions from provincial authorities, town administrations have been monitoring the performance of polio workers in their respective area, he added.

Mr Akbar said that the government has revamped its approach to the polio campaign, adding, complete eradication of the disease from the country is a priority of the provincial and federal government. Terming polio eradication a national cause, and collective responsibility, he urged all segments of society, donor agencies and government institutions to make coordinated and organised effort towards saving future generations from life-long disability.

Public awareness is critical for the success of polio campaigns and media is the most effective tool for creating awareness for masses, he said, adding, parents should support the government in eliminating the menace of polio from the country by getting their child vaccinated during every campaign. He requested citizens to cooperate with polio teams and inform the official helpline in case they had a complaint.

Published in Dawn, October 27th, 2020