PESHAWAR: Chief Minister Ali Amin Khan Gandapur has said that eradication of poliovirus is a national cause and the newly-elected government would continue the battle against the crippling disease.

He launched the second phase of anti-polio vaccination campaign in the provincial capital on Sunday. He paid tributes to the security personnel and polio workers, who were killed during the previous anti-polio campaigns, and said that they were national heroes, according to a statement.

Mr Gandapur urged parents to administer anti-polio vaccine to their children and refrain from boycotting the immunisation campaign due to lack of facilities in any area as it was the matter of future of their children.

The newly-elected chief minister also urged religious scholars, media and public representatives to play their role in creating awareness among people regarding importance of anti-polio vaccine.

The second phase the campaign will continue till March 7 where 7.4 million children will be administered anti-polio drops across the province. The government has deployed 35,000 anti-polio teams and around 55,000 personnel for the security of vaccinators.

The campaign will be carried out in Peshawar, Mardan, Kohat, Bannu and Dera Ismail Khan divisions. The campaign in Malakand and Hazara divisions remained suspended due to heavy rain and snowfall. It will restart on March 5 and will continue till March 9.

In Bannu, a five-day anti-polio drive was launched amidst tight security measures on Sunday.

The health department has formed 1,187 teams to administer vaccine to 282,539 children under the age of five. Mobile teams will launch a door-to-door campaign in their assigned areas while fixed teams will vaccinate children at hospitals and health centres.

Along with mobile and fixed teams, the health department has also formed transit and roaming teams to immunise children travelling with parents in public transport and those of Afghan and nomad families against the crippling disease.

A police official said that a fool proof security plan was devised for peaceful conduct of the campaign. He said that more than 2,734 police personnel were deployed to vaccinators.

He said that temporary checkpoints were established on entry and exit points and on busy roads to check suspected individuals and motorists.

In Swabi, a five-day anti-polio campaign began on Sunday amid strict security arrangements for the vaccinators, relevant officials said.

They said police patrolling had been enhanced, and commandos deployed at entry and exit points to keep a watch on miscreants.

The officials said over 1,430 cops had deployed for security of polio workers.

District police officer Haroon Rasheed Khan said deployment of personnel at the exit and entry points of Swabi was to thwart miscreant’s bid to sneak into the district to carry out subversive activities, and then flee without any hindrance.

Published in Dawn, March 4th, 2024