Seven-day anti-Polio campaign kicks off despite harsh weather conditions in Balochistan

Independent Report

QUETTA: The seven-day anti-polio campaign was kicked off all over Balochistan province including Quetta, even despite the harsh weather conditions, on Monday.
The Secretary Health Department, Abdullah Khan formally inaugurated the immunization campaign by administering anti-polio vaccine to the children below five years of age.
Also present on the occasion were the Coordinator Emergency Operation Center (EOC), Syed Zahid Shah, other concerned senior officials besides the representatives of World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF.
Speaking on the occasion, the Secretary Health said that the anti-polio campaign is being initiated in the province from Monday. During the campaign, over 2.59 million children would be administered the anti-polio drops for around 11000 teams have been constituted.
He said that the necessary security has been provided to the anti-polio teams during the campaign.
Meanwhile, the anti-polio teams started the polio eradication mission in the harsh weather conditions even.
According to the EOC spokesman, the anti-polio teams including females workers are reaching in the snow-hit areas of Pishin, Ziarat and Killa Saifullah to administer the anti-polio vaccine to the children.
Meanwhile, a meeting of the Provincial Task Force for Eradication of Polio was held with the Chief Secretary Shakeel Qadir Khan in the chair here.
The Secretary Health, EOC Coordinator, Zahid Shah and other concerned officials were present.
Addressing the meeting, the Chief Secretary stressed that everyone has to work on war footing grounds for eradication of polio from the province and country.
He said that almost all countries of the world have been free from the polio virus just due to the repeated campaign against its eradication.
He urged the parents and other segments of the society to contribute wholehearted in the endeavours being made for eradication of polio.