Usman Buzdar approves anti-polio drive every month

LAHORE:The Punjab government will launch a province-wise comprehensive anti-polio campaign and Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar has approved launching of an anti-polio drive every month during the current year.

This campaign would be started from February 17 to administer anti-polio drops to 20 million children in the province. Presiding over the meeting of the provincial task force for the eradication of polio at his office Tuesday, Usman Buzdar directed the health department to give particular attention to high risk districts.

The health department as well as the district administration should ensure 100 percent implementation of the plan and work hard to achieve the desired results, he said and added that active participation of the local community, including elected representatives and lumberdars is equally important to achieve the targets.

The chief minister expressed the concern that surfacing of polio cases in some districts was alarming and emphasised that local administration would have to efficiently deal with it in such areas. The Deputy Commissioners should proactively work for the polio eradication, he directed.

He warned that no leniency would be tolerated and action would be taken in case of any negligence in implementation of the plan. I will review anti-polio measures every month, he added.

Usman Buzdar expressed the displeasure that meetings about anti-polio measures were not regularly held by some Deputy Commissioners and made it clear that such DCs would be held answerable. Administering of anti-polio drops to all the children should be ensured during this campaign as it is a national issue which requires joint efforts, he said.

Eradication of polio is a noble cause and this disease will be completely eradicated with collected efforts, he maintained.

Provincial secretary for primary and secondary healthcare gave a briefing about polio cases, anti-polio measures and campaign targets. Provincial Ministers Dr Yasmin Rashid, Fayyaz-ul-Hasan Chohan, Murad Raas, Mussarat Jamshed Cheema, MPA, chief secretary, Commissioner Lahore Division, representatives of UNICEF, WHO and others attended the meeting.