Anti-polio drive starts at Khyber Teaching Hospital

Anti-polio drive starts at Khyber Teaching Hospital

* Three-day anti-polio campaign will start in FATA and FR Peshawar tomorrow

PESHAWAR: Anti-Polio drive has started in Khyber Teaching Hospital Peshawar on Saturday while three days anti-polio campaign will be kick-off in Federal Administered Tribal Aras (FATA) and FRS Peshawar on Monday.

In this connection a program was organized at Khyber Teaching Hospital Peshawar where Medical Director DrRooh-ul-Muqeem inaugurated the anti-polio drive by administrating polio drop to the children. Today was the first inauguration ceremony of polio campaign in year 2017 was organized in Khyber Teaching Hospital Peshawar.

The chief guest of the ceremony was Medical Director Prof. DrRooh-ul-Muqeem. DrIrshad Ahmed and DrFazalRaheem also administrated by polio drops to few children. The ceremony was chaired by Hospital Director Dr Nek Dad Khan Afridi, Paediatricians Professor DrIrshad, DrFazalRaheem, Associate DrQamar Ali, Assistant Prof Dr Jan Muhammad Afridi, and Assistant Professor. DrSabir Khan, Senior Registrars Dr Zia Muhammad, DrArshiaMunir, Health Specialist UNICEF DrJohar, WHO Area Coordinator DrAlloadin, Polio Eradication Officer PRO WHO DrIrfan and others were also present.

In Khyber Teaching Hospital 365040 children were administrated polio drops whereas in 2015 the ratio was less than 200000. In 2016 the polio administering ratio increased up to 180000. The doctors and polio team convinced the parents to administer the polio drops to their children for a better future. Under International Health Regulatory 10,000 adults were administered polio drops.

DrIrshad Ahmed addressed the gathering and said that the current polio campaign is a success as 54 polio cases were reported in 2015 where was it was decreased to 20 polio cases in 2016. He reinforced the need of creating more awareness in public to reduce refusal and give example of small pox which was eradicate from the universe because of successful immunization only.

Health specialists and Polio Team Leader UNICEF KP Dr Muhammad Johar said that total polio cases in KP were 8 and 2 were reported in FATA. DrJohar cleared the misconception of the people about polio vaccine and said that polio vaccine is the safest polio vaccine available on the earth.

Meanwhile Three days anti-polio campaign in Federal Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) will be Kick-off on Monday. Active campaign will continue for three days from Monday January 16, 2017 to Wednesday January 19, 2017, followed by catch up of missed children, under the supervision and security provided by political agents, commissioners and security forces.

In the entire FATA and Frontier Regions, 1029179 children below the age of 5 years will be vaccinated by 4125 teams, comprising 3668 mobile teams, 326 fixed teams and 131 transit teams. The campaign is focus on reaching and vaccinating every child for ultimate polio eradication.

In a recently held FATA Task Force Meeting at Governor House, Governor Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Engr. IqbalZafarJhagra said "FATA is almost polio free and by ensuring high quality campaigns and reaching out to each and every child across the agencies will make eradication a reality."

At the close of said meeting Governor Khyber Pakhtukhwa also awarded the cheque of Rs 500,000 to EOC FATA Team pledged earlier for their exceptional performance and all-out efforts in reducing the number of polio cases during 2016. Prime Minister Focal Person for Polio and Senator AyshaRazaFarooq, also attending the occasion, while reminding participants of targets set for new year said "We have come very close to our goal but this should not slow us down rather we should aim to carry out three high quality campaigns in the new year and defeat the virus completely by March 2017, and ensure that we could sustain it for the next three years."