DERA GHAZI KHAN, Aug 17: The district has been declared polio-free by the World Health Organization surveillance team, claims the executive district officer (health). A WHO team, headed by Dr Khwaja Masood Ahmad, visited 232 areas in the district for counter-checking anti-polio vaccination campaign and found only three far-flung areas in Dera Ghazi Khan tehsil where the campaign could not be properly launched, though it found publicity (display of posters) satisfactory.

The WHO stated in its report that 99.5 per cent of the children in the district had been vaccinated. In the recent drive, the EDO said, as many as 252,000 children were administered vaccination.

It is pertinent to mention that there are many inaccessible areas in Dera Ghazi Khan’s tribal area and the polio teams could not reach there. People of these areas are still awaiting provision of medical facilities.

The areas like Jhandi, Chitarwata, Lazdan and Lakhani, Cchute Bail Pathar, Lophani Daf, Upper areas of Mubarki, Phwad and Kala Pahar could be approached only with the help of the Border Military Police.