HYDERABAD, Oct 19: A meeting was held here on Friday to finalize arrangements for the three-day anti-polio drive, commencing from Oct 22.

Hyderabad District Nazim Dr Makhdoom Rafiquzzaman, who presided over the meeting, expressed the hope the district would be declared polio-free during 2003.

He said one case of polio had been reported in the district since January in comparison to eight cases reported last year.

Rafiquzzaman appealed to doctors and public representatives to come forward and help the government and other agencies engaged in the anti-polio drive and motivate people to get their children vaccinated during the coming campaign.

He also called for identification of those areas which were not covered by the anti-polio teams so that arrangements could be made for the neglected areas.

Speaking on the occasion, DCO Mir Hussain Ali directed officers of revenue, education, social welfare, police and Auqaf departments to participate in the anti-polio campaign and make it a success.

He stressed routine immunization should also be carried out to get rid of diseases.

The EDO, health, Dr Nazar Junejo, informed the meeting the district was divided into 34 sectors where 1,615 mobiles and fixed teams would vaccinate 668,320 children.

Our Mirpurkhas Correspondent adds: About 400,000 children would be administered polio drops in the district during the three-day anti-polio campaign starting from Oct 22.

This was informed at a meeting held here on Saturday to review the arrangements for the anti-polio campaign.

Briefing the meeting, Dr Ashfaq Ahmad said the district was divided in to 32 zones and 113 areas in charges were appointed. A total of 1,059 mobile teams would administer polio drops.