PESHAWAR, Jan 7: The NWFP Health Minister Inayatullah has expressed his concern over the increase in cases of polio in some districts of the province, said an official handout here on Wednesday.

While presiding over a meeting regarding Polio Eradication Initiatives in NWFP, he said: "Collective efforts were needed to eradicate the crippling disease within the target period from the province." The meeting was also attended by the health secretary, and representatives from WHO and Unicef.

Elaborating on the NWFP government's strategy for wiping out the dreadful disease, he told the participants that besides the active mobilisation of resources, concrete measures had been initiated to involve district governments, elected representatives and religious scholars in the polio campaign.

According to him, it was a matter of grave concern that a few cases of polio had been reported in some parts of the province despite the fact that those children had been administered the vaccines. These cases required proper investigation, he maintained.

He said that coordinated steps were needed for the elimination of polio at the district level, and announced that stern action would be taken against those responsible for laxity.