KHAR, Dec 29: The administration of Bajaur tribal region has finalised security arrangements for the upcoming anti-polio campaign starting from Dec 31 (tomorrow) and decided to deploy one security official with every polio team, while female workers would not take part in the campaign.

This was decided in a meeting of health and administration officials here on Saturday.

Bajaur Agency political agent Abdul Jabbar Shah, agency surgeon Dr Jehanzeb Dawar, representatives of the WHO and Unicef, and officials of the administration and local health department attended the meeting.

They discussed various issues related to the anti-polio campaign, security plan for health teams and possible threats. Officials of the local health department and representatives of the WHO and Unicef briefed the participants about the anti-polio activities and the overall situation in this regard in the area.

“Though overall response of people to anti-polio drive in the region is satisfactory, the staff wants more protection keeping in view recent attacks on polio workers,” they said.

Speaking on the occasion, the political agent said that the administration was taking all possible steps to provide security to the health teams.

“We are aware of the security of health workers and the administration will provide foolproof security to them during the coming anti-polio campaign,” he said.

The meeting decided that the female workers would not take part in the anti-polio campaign in the region and only male workers would vaccinate children. It also decided that one levies force official would accompany each polio team, while tribal elders and members of peace committees of the entire agency would also be deployed with the health teams during the anti-polio campaign.

Meanwhile, the health department has completed arrangement for the anti-polio campaign in the agency, staring from Monday (tomorrow).

Talking to reporters here at Khar, assistant agency surgeon Dr Ikramullah said that 222,480 children would be vaccinated across the region, while 622 vaccination teams would take part in the campaign.