PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur on Friday directed the relevant quarters to further improve the coordination mechanism among all the stakeholders in order to achieve the desired targets of polio eradication campaigns.

“We can make these efforts successful only through an effective and better teamwork,” he said while addressing an important meeting of the Provincial Task Force (PTF) for Polio Eradication Initiative held at the Chief Minister’s House here.

He further directed them to have special focus on addressing the refusal cases in addition to making operational affairs of polio eradication campaigns better.

The authorities concerned briefed the chief minister about the various aspects of Polio Eradication Initiative with special focus on challenges faced in that regard, future course of action and other important matters.

Important decisions were also made on the occasion to achieve 100 per cent goals of polio eradication drives by improving the existing strategy and making this whole effort more effective and result-oriented.

Chief secretary Nadeem Aslam Chaudhry, IGP Akhtar Hayat Khan, additional chief secretary home Mohammad Abid Majeed, principal secretary to chief minister Amjad Ali Khan, administrative secretaries of relevant departments, representatives from partner organisations and other officials attended the meeting.

Divisional and deputy commissioners also attended the meeting via video link.

“We need to have targeted approach in order to convince the parents, who are reluctant to administer anti-polio drops to their children,” the chief minister said and directed that ulema, social mobilisers and elected representatives be involved for this purpose.

Published in Dawn, April 20th, 2024