Anti-polio drive gets underway in Jamrud

JAMRUD: The anti-polio campaign formally started in Khyber district on Monday in which children under five-year of age will be administered oral polio vaccine, but the Kukikhel tribe members in Jamrud tehsil boycotted the drive in protest against the prolonged electricity supply suspension in Jamrud.

The Kukikhel tribe members said Wapda had made a written agreement with them to provide electricity for six hours daily. However, they said the relevant officials had dishonoured the agreement and were not providing electricity for six hours, prompting the members of Kukikhel tribe to boycott the anti-polio drive. Dr Zafar Ali said the anti-polio campaign would be conducted from May 22 to May 28 in which more than 228,600 boys and girls would be administered oral polio drops.

He said all the teams participating in this campaign would go door-to-door and administer the vaccine to the children. Dr Zafar Ali appealed to the parents not to link vaccination to other demands and get their children vaccinated against the crippling disease or else they could fall victim to lifelong disability.