Concerned health authorities have been asked to ensure 100 percent coverage of polio immunisation rounds in areas of FATA and Khyber-Paktunkhwa to protect every child from the crippling disease.
They have been asked to take notice of missing of children from receiving anti-polio drops in these areas during vaccination drives and urged to improve monitoring system in this regard.
The citizens of these areas have complained that mobile vaccination teams avoid visiting every home and they miss most children.
They urged that concentrated efforts be made in the high risk areas for polio eradication, ensuring that all children in these areas are reached with vaccine during every immunisation round.
Defining polio as a national emergency, they said that the concerned problems must be urgently addressed to ensure that all arms of government are engaged in eradicating polio particularly in FATA and Khyber-Paktunkhwa.
Commenting on the polio situation in FATA and Khyber-Paktunkhwa, while talking to APP, they said that it is a high time that children are consistently immunised in the districts, agencies and populations that are at highest risk of sustaining transmission of poliovirus.
Asad Khan, a student belongs to FATA area said the polio virus is continuing to cripple children in the country due to access problems in risky areas particularly in FATA.
He urged to developing strategies and approaches to access children in security compromised areas through close cooperation between concerned officials and through engagement of communities.
A student, Zaheer Khan Gandapur of Khyber-Paktunkhwa, talking to APP said the goal could be reached through achieving the objectives including ownership, and accountability for polio programme performance at each administrative level.
He said with strong ownership at all levels and the engagement of communities, all children can be reached and thousands saved from being permanently crippled from polio.
He said due to its close border areas with Afghanistan, focused should be on enhancing inter-sectoral collaboration in Khyber-Paktunkhwa province for strengthening fight against polio for its complete elimination.
When contacted an official of the national polio immunisation programme, said an elaborated plan is being implemented aimed at ensuring immunisation in 33 high risk districts of the country.
He said in light of the situation and its national and global
implications, the President and the Prime Minister have issued special directions for the complete eradication of polio in the country.
He added under the plan, efforts are being made to stop the transmission of polio and in this regard several committees have been formed at different levels to ensure immunisation in high risk areas of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and FATA with the support of the community leaders.
