LAKKI MARWAT - The district polio eradication committee in its meeting on Friday said that the strategy to provide security to polio workers in the upcoming anti-polio drive will be chalked out soon. Deputy Commissioner Nisar Ahmad chaired the meeting. Among others APA Muhammad Fayyaz Khan Sherpao, DHO Dr Abdyl Ghaffar DDHO Dr Abdul Rehman, Agency Surgeon Dr Arifullah Wazir, EPI coordinator Dr Hafeezullah, WHO representative Dr Illauddin, Polio Eradication Officer Dr Adnan Akbar Khan and PPHI District Support Manager were in the attendance. The meeting decided that a joint meeting of officials of district administration, police, army and health department would be convened next week to discuss matters pertaining to the security of polio workers and finalise strategy to this effect. It said that in the prevailing circumstance and security situation all out efforts would be made for the protection of polio workers and volunteers. The meeting also discussed arrangements for the forthcoming polio eradication campaign scheduled to commence from January 3 with special focus on areas in the district where internally displaced people of Betanni tribe from adjacent frontier tribal region have settled. An official said in the meeting that Tajori, Haramas Talla, Naurang and some other localities of the district needed special attention keeping in view the influx of tribesmen to those areas from tribal region. He told that the migration of tribesmen from frontier region was an added threat and special initiatives should be put in place to ensure vaccination.  Health officials suggested that relevant higher quarters concerned should be requested for provision of consultancy and technical support to tackle the issue of consistently emerging refusal cases. “After failure of previous moves like recruitment of district health campaign support officers and engaging national research and development foundation for the coverage of refusal cases, now there is the dire need to launch a study through experts to know exact causes of unwillingness of parents to immunize their kids against crippling disease”, they maintained.  They said the study and research by experts would be helpful to enable the local health officials to overcome the major issue of refusal cases. They said that routine immunisation would be carried out in Lakki city especially in union council Lakki-II as a fresh confirm police case surfaced in the urban locality recently. Speaking at the meeting DC Nisar Ahmad directed the health authorities and other stakeholders to improve campaign quality and strengthen union council level polio eradication committees (Upec) to achieve the immunization of targeted population successfully. He said that high ups of the health department would be requested to appoint medical officers in high risk union councils to ensure effective supervision of activities of Upec and anti polio drives.  He said that the district administration, if needed, would ban pillion riding and weapons’ display besides request the officials of law enforcement agencies to increase patrolling during the three day activity of anti polio drive. He added that effective monitoring and integrated efforts by all segments of society were the key tools to make the drive against polio a success.