BAJAUR AGENCY – The local administration of Bajaur tribal region has finalised the security arrangement for the upcoming anti-polio drive starting from December 31.
One personnel of the Levies Force will be deployed with every polio team while female workers will not take part in the campaign, sources of the administration said. The decision was made at a meeting of the health officials with the officials of the local administration held here at Khar on Saturday. Political Agent Bajaur Abdul Jabar Shah, Agency Surgeon Dr Jehan Zeb Dawar. Representatives of world health organization, Unicef and others senior officials of the administration and the local health deportment were attended the meeting.
The meeting discussed various issues related to the anti- polio drive, security plan for the health teams and possible threats to the polio workers after the recent past attacks on the polio workers in the several parts of the country.
Officials of the local health deportment, representatives of WHO and Unicef   briefed the participants about the anti-polio activities and the situation of the area.
“Although most parts of the region are very favorable for the anti-polio drive and the response of the local were satisfactory but due to the recent past attack over the polio team the workers desire for more protection,” they said.
Speaking on the occasion Political Agent Abdul Jabar Shah said that the administration is the responsible of the protection of health team and for this purposed the administration taking its all possible means. “We were aware of the security of the health worker and the administration will provide full prof security to them during the upcoming anti-polio drive,” PA said. It was decided in the meeting that the administration will provide one personnel of the levies forces to each polio team while tribal elders and members of the local peace committee of the entire agency will also be deployed with the health teams during the anti-polio campaign.
The meeting also decided that the female workers will not take a part in the anti-polio campaign in the entire region and only male workers will vaccinate the anti-polio vaccination.
Meanwhile the local health department has completed the arrangement for the upcoming anti-polio drive in the agency staring from Dec31.
Talking to reporter here at Khar, Assistant Agency surgeon Bajaur Dr Ikramullah Khan said that 222,480 children across the region would be vaccinated during the anti-polio campaign while 622 vaccination teams will take part in the drive.