Anti-polio drive in Mansehra continues amid tight security

MANSEHRA: The three-day anti-polio drive continued in the district amid tight security on Tuesday.

“In the wake of the prevailing terrorism wave in country, as many as 730 personnel of the Frontier Constabulary (FC) and police have been deputed to provide security to polio teams,” Dr Shahzad Ali Khan, the district health officer, Mansehra, told reporters.

Dr Shahzad, who earlier administered the polio drops to children at a ceremony held at his office, said the district administration and police were on high alert to provide foolproof security to the polio teams.

The representatives of the Rotary Club were also present on the occasion. He said the polio drive could not be launched in upper parts of Kaghan union councils, including Kaghan, Rajwal and Battakundi, as roads to these areas were yet to be cleared after the recent snowfall.

However, he said most of residents of the snow-hit areas had shifted to Balakot and where the kids were administered anti-polio drops. “As many as 5,300 children of marooned areas were administered polio drops at points where they were shifted,” he added.