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QUETTA, Aug 28 (APP):Chief Secretary Balochistan, Shakeel Qadir Khan has officially launched a special anti-polio campaign, by administrating polio drops to children during a ceremony in Quetta.
The campaign follows a high-level review meeting of the Polio Task Force, chaired by Shakeel Qadir Khan, where the province’s polio status was assessed and strategies for the upcoming drive were finalized.
Speaking to the media, Shakeel Qadir Khan announced that the campaign will begin on September 1, targeting 26 districts and aiming to vaccinate around 2 million children against the poliovirus.
He shared promising developments in the province’s polio eradication efforts: 22 out of 23 environmental samples collected across Balochistan have tested negative, and no polio cases have been reported in the past 10 months — a major milestone.
Chief Secretary stressed the importance of continued vigilance. Special attention will be given to areas with positive environmental samples, notably Baleeli, a locality in Quetta where the virus was recently detected, he added.
Reaffirming the government’s commitment to a polio-free Balochistan, Shakeel Qadir Khan urged parents to ensure their children receive the life-saving vaccine during the campaign.
To support the initiative, the provincial administration, in collaboration with health authorities and international partners, will mobilize thousands of health workers to reach every eligible child, especially in high-risk zones.