UPPER DIR: The four-day anti-polio drive was completed in Upper Dir the other day des-pite snowfall and severe cold weather, especially in mountainous areas.

Most parts of the district have received rain and snowfall.

The upper reaches, including Lowari Top, Kumrat, Thal, Lamoti, Kalkot, Barikot, Doog Dara, Ghanshal, Biyar, Guladai, Usheri Darra and Upper Brawal, have received snow.

There was a possibility of postponing the campaign after the start of snowfall and rains in most parts of the district, but the vaccinators continued administering the polio drops to children, which was commendable, a health official said.

The official said to continue polio campaign was extremely difficult task as Upper Dir was a hilly district, where temperatures dropped to minus 8 to 10 degrees whenever it snowed.

Mohammad Shahab, a resident of Doog Dara and a polio volunteer, said they were facing difficulties when snowfall started as movement of people and vehicles was difficult, but the vaccinators, keeping in mind the bright future of the children and to protect them from the crippling disease braved all the odds and completed the campaign.

Another polio worker said a few of his teammates had decided to stop the campaign.

However, another team in a nearby area had given them the courage because they had kept continuing the campaign.

“And thus we resumed the campaign after watching them administering polio drops to children without having any umbrella or other tools to protect them from rain and snow,” he said.

The local people and the district administration officials have appreciated the efforts of polio workers.

They said that the volunteers really deserved praise.

They said that polio cases would never emerge in the district if the same enthusiasm and commitment remained.

Published in Dawn, January 21st, 2018