PESHAWAR, Sept 26 (APP): The Governor Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Iqbal Zafar Jhagra Monday said all the available resources and means would be applied to completely eradicate polio from Federally Administrated Tribal Areas (FATA).
He was presiding over a meeting of the Task Force on Polio Eradication at Governor House here wherein pace of progress on “Polio Eradication Campaign in FATA” was reviewed and decision was taken to make it fully result oriented.
The Governor said, it is result of the joint efforts of EOC FATA team, FATA Health Services, Political Administration and Security agencies that we have succeeded in successfully carrying forward the polio eradication campaign in FATA to the desired level.
After having detail review of the situation on ground, the Governor emphasized the need to further beef up the ongoing efforts; streamline the coordination amongst various agencies and Administrative bodies with health departments, if other viruses are detected during the process. Effective preventive measures, he added, are must to avoid fresh outbreaks.
Earlier, EOC FATA Coordinator Shakeel Qadir Khan updated the Governor Khyber Pakhtunkhwa through a detailed presentation.
He shared that EOC FATA team has successfully conducted seven quality immunization rounds; vaccinated newly returned and unreached population in North and South Waziristan Agencies; increased number of permanent transit points (PTP)from 72 to 116 and maintained top position of five consecutive rounds in Pakistan as validated by independent monitors, during the first nine months of the current year.
The meeting was further informed that anti-polio campaign in the entire FATA and Frontier Regions had already been started during which 982030 children below the age of 5 years would be vaccinated by 3996 teams, including 3599 mobile; 292 fixed and 105 transit teams.
The campaign was focused on reaching and vaccinating every child for achieving ultimate polio eradication, it was told on this occasion.
The meeting was attended by ACS FATA Fida Wazir, Principal Secretary to Governor Sikandar Qayum, Coordinator National EOC/Head of EPI Program, Pakistan Rana Safdar, Focal Person of Bill Gates Foundation on Polio eradication Altaf Bossun, UNICEF Chief (Geneva) Dr. Zubair, Coordinator
EOC FATA/Secretary P&D FATA Mr. Shakeel Qadir Khan, Secretary Social Sector Yousaf Rahim besides Commissioners of Malakand, Bannu, Kohat, DIKhan and Peshawar divisions; all the Political Agents, Agency Surgeons and some of the deputy commissioners.
