LAKKI MARWAT: Health authorities have said that no polio case has surfaced in the district for the last over one year and anti-polio drives if launched successfully will help to make the district free from the crippling disease.
They said this while speaking at the meeting of district polio eradication committee on Tuesday. Deputy Commissioner Syed Zafar Ali Shah chaired the meeting held at the District Headquarters Complex Tajazai. Among others DPO Ismail Kharak, Additional Deputy Commissioner Ihsanullah Khan, Additional Assistant Commissioner Yaser Qayyum, District Health Officer Dr Abdul Ghaffar Wazir and officials of line departments were in the attendance.
Health experts said that by launching strenuous efforts the district could be made free of polio in near future.
"Though no polio case was detected in the last over one year but the district is still in danger zone as the adjacent tribal areas especially North Waziristan Agency have circulation of polio virus", they maintained.–Staff Reporter
They told that the district health department had formed over 400 polio teams for the immunisation of targeted population in the upcoming drive. The meeting tasked the heads of line departments to monitor the meeting and activities of union council level polio eradication committees and furnish their reports with suggestions and proposed actions to the additional deputy commissioner.
Speaking at the meeting the deputy commissioner asked the health experts to impart training to the members of transit teams to enhance their capacity. He said that members of transit teams lacked skills of how to immunise kids travelling along with parents in public transport.
"In the prevailing influx of tribesmen from North Waziristan Agency to the settled areas the skilled vaccinators at transit points will be able to immunise tribal children against the disease in a better way," he maintained. He told that besides providing full security to the polio teams the administration would also ensure monitoring of the three days activity. Zafar Ali also said that the district administration was determined to wipe out the crippling disease at all costs, saying negligence and slackness on part of government officials will not be tolerated at all.