Orientation seminar on anti-polio drive held

WANA: An orientation seminar was held for journalists of Lower South Waziristan tribal district regarding anti-polio vaccination.The event was held at the district health officer (DHO) office in Wana. Journalists from Wana Press Club attended the event. On the occasion, Provincial Training Officer Dr Waleed Hassan, EPI Coordinator South Waziristan Lower Dr Hidayatullah, DHCSO Upper South Waziristan Riaz Mehsud and DHCS Amir Abbas Wazir of Lower South Waziristan were also present.

In order to make the upcoming polio campaign successful in Lower South Waziristan, WHO polio trainer Dr Waleed Hassan and in-charge Muhammad Amir Wazir told the media briefing that WHO had sent 10 environmental samples of polio from Lower and Upper South Waziristan this year, of which one sample had been declared positive and that sample had been taken from Wana Wacha Khowara Kandhari area.He said that in the upcoming polio campaign, children aged 4 months to 5 years would be given vaccines and injections, for which an 8-day polio campaign would be started from May 29 to June 5.In this regard, the media should play their role in the polio awareness campaign among the public, said Dr Waleed Hasan, adding that the whole world has become polio-free, while unfortunately polio viruses are still present in Afghanistan and Pakistan, for which measures must be taken on an emergency basis.

Riaz Mehsud said that the media should play their role in the awareness campaign to defeat the poliovirus.Dr Hidayat Ur Rahman said that an 8-day polio campaign would be started from May 29 to June 5, 2023 across the district, in which a total of 73,462 children aged four months to five years would be administered polio drops. There would be 347 mobile teams, 199 trained staff, 60 supervisors on duty in 37 union councils during the campaign.