PESHAWAR: KP Health Minister Syed Qasim Ali Shah inaugurated polio vaccine campaign in selected district of province at Police Services Hospital Peshawar here. Five-day Sub-National Immunisation Days (SNIDs) campaign is being launched from June 3 in selected districts of province.

Special Secretary Health and Coordinator Emergency Operations Centre Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Abdul Basit, Deputy Coordinator EOC Muhammad Zeeshan Khan, Director General Health Services Dr Muhammad Saleem and officials of UNICEF and WHO as well as relevant officials were present. Health Minister talking to media reiterated provincial government’s strong commitment and unwavering resolve to eradicate polio virus form province and has emphasised that only way to root out this menace is to vaccinate each and every under five child in each campaign. Shedding light on highest priority being attached to eradicating polio virus, he said that whole government machinery including administrative officers from top to bottom, health department and law enforcement agencies are all working hand in glove at all levels to ensure complete eradication of this crippling disease.

He administered polio drops to child to formally inaugurate this campaign wherein more than 3.56 million under five children will be administered with polio drops. Responding to question about refusals coverage, he said that they are engaging all segments of society including parliamentarians, local body representatives, religious scholars and other influencers to address misconceptions of refusals parents. He said that in other countries, parents take their children to health facilities for vaccination but we are providing polio vaccination at their doorsteps. He appeared to parents to cooperate with polio teams and get their children vaccinated Abdul Basit said that during this campaign, polio drops will be administered to approximately 3.28 million children in nine complete districts of province including Peshawar, Khyber, Kohat, Swat, Swabi, Dir Lower, Bannu, Lakki Marwat and D. I Khan, while over 272, 730 children will be vaccinated with polio drops in specific union councils and Afghan Refugee Camps in District Bajaur, Buner, Charsadda, Chitral Lower, Chitral Upper, Dir Upper, Hangu, Haripur, Kurram, Malakand, Mansehra, Mardan, Mohmand and Nowshera.