KOHAT, Sept 11: Anti-polio campaign is successfully underway in Darra Adamkhel for the first time in four years, according to assistant political agent of Frontier Region, Kohat Fakhruddin.

Mr Fakhruddin told Dawn on Tuesday that some areas of Darra Adamkhel had been declared red zones.

Elders of Bostikhel and Sunnikhel areas, the last bastions of militants, had long been opposing administration of anti-polio drops to local children declaring immunisation a US ploy to control the country’s population. They had also got the support of Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan against vaccination campaigns.

The assistant political agent said the success rate during polio vaccination in Darra Adamkhel was 97 per cent and major breakthrough was made last January when health teams supported by security forces entered most sensitive parts.

“Now, the entire Darra Adamkhel is reachable. There is no red zone in the area, where health teams couldn’t reach after four years,” he said.

Mr Fakhruddin said anti-polio vaccination had to be suspended due to fierce battles between security forces and militants when the army entered the area in 2008.

He said militants were literally ruling the area, which was the hometown of the most wanted TTP commander, Tariq Afridi, and that health activities later remained suspended for several years.

The assistant political agent said in 2010, two cases of polio had emerged in these two areas after which the political administration repeatedly tried to persuade tribal elders to allow administration of anti-polio drops to children, but to no avail.“Now, the anti-polio campaign has been continuing smoothly in those areas. We hope that polio will soon be eliminated from there forever,” he said.

Meanwhile, the health department has declared 12 of the 32 Kohat union councils the most sensitive and asked vaccinators to concentrate on these areas so that no child under five was left without anti-polio drops.

This was stated by executive district officer (health) Captain Dr Habib Khan Khattak during a meeting chaired by district coordination officer Zakir Hussain and attended by Dr Kaleemullah, Dr Hameed and Dr Abid Gul of EPI, and other health department officials.

Participants were briefed about anti-polio efforts, especially immunisation of 82,215 children in sensitive union councils.

The DCO directed the relevant authorities to ensure that no child in these areas missed vaccination against polio.

He said Kohat division commissioner Sahibzada Mohammad Anees and the district coordination officer, who also held the post of political agent of Darra Adamkhel, would supervise anti-polio campaigns in other two districts of FR Kohat and adjoining tribal areas.

He said a control room had been established at the office of the EDO (health) for helping vaccinators do the duty without hassle.