PESHAWAR, July 12: NWFP Health Minister Inayatullah has expressed the hope that polio will be completely eradicated from the province by the end of this year.

He appealed to all segments of society to play their role in making the province polio free.

He was addressing the inaugural ceremony of a three-day polio campaign at the Emergency Satellite Hospital here on Monday. He said that polio drops would be administered to all children below the age of five years during the campaign to be launched in the NWFP and tribal areas from July 13 to 15.

Canadian High Commissioner Margarett Huber, DG Health Dr. Jalilur Rehman, Unicef Country Director Umer Abidi, WHO Representative Rody Tengerman and Japan Counsel-General Fazli Karim Afridi also spoke on the occasion.

The health minister and Canadian High Commissioner on this occasion formally inaugurated the campaign by administering polio drops to several children. Mr Inayat said that the provincial government was committed to eradicating polio as well as prevention of other diseases.

"We believe in collective efforts for national causes," he maintained. The minister went on to say that polio was an eradicable disease and that was why it was need of the hour that concerted efforts were made for its elimination.

Highlighting efforts for prevention of the disease, the minister said that health workers were providing polio drops to children even in remote areas of the province. He, however, expressed astonishment over detection of seven polio cases in the province this year.

"All the detected children were provided drops regularly," he asserted. He appealed to donor agencies for conducting a scientific study of such cases to trace the cause as to why these children got infected with the disease despite having been administered three polio drops.

Commenting on the organized campaign against polio, the minister stressed the need for adopting this pattern for prevention of other diseases. Mr Inayat appealed to parents not to be superstitious and ensure safety of their children by administering polio drops to them.

Appreciating contribution of donor agencies in polio eradication, he disclosed that soon the provincial government would apprise donors about its health strategy to pave the way for more support.

Dispelling the negative propaganda about the MMA government, he said that law and order situation in the NWFP was far better than other provinces. Canadian High Commissioner Margarett Huber, while speaking on the occasion, appreciated the commitment and organised efforts for eradication of polio in Pakistan.

She said that Canada was providing assistance to Pakistan for improvement of various sectors like education, gender, equality and health.