Official says polio drops refusal cases down in Oghi

MANSEHRA: The polio drops refusal cases have gone down drastically in the Oghi tehsil of the Mansehra district from 59 to only five with the strong support from ulema and religious scholars.

“There were 59 refusal cases during Case Response Campaign last month after five positive cases of this crippling disease were reported in the neighbouring Torghar district but now this number has dropped to only five with strong support of ulema,” Dr Nasir Shah, the deputy district health officer, told reporters at the basic health unit Arbora in Oghi on Wednesday. It is the second case response anti-polio campaign in 11 union councils of Oghi after five cases were reported in the neighbouring Torghar district. Dr Nasir Shah said ulema, who were sensitised through a conference in Oghi last month, paved the way for bringing refusal cases to almost an end.“We expect that parents still refusing polio drops to children would be convinced on the catch-up day and there would be no refusal case in the entire Oghi Tehsil where the special campaign is underway,” he said.

The official said 50,000 children of five and below were being targeted to administer polio drops during the current four-day campaign which was launched by Monday but the highly successful outcome was there on the first two days of the drive. “A total of 509 employees and volunteers have been taking part in this anti-special drive across the Oghi tehsil,” he said.