ISLAMABAD: Mayor Sheikh Anser Aziz has said that data collection should be carried out in Rawalpindi and Islamabad to achieve desired results from the anti-polio campaign.
He said that the administrations of the twin cities through mutual consultation should finalise the arrangements of polio campaign being commenced from May 07, 2018. He said that review meetings before and after the campaign should be organized to discuss resources and issues faced during the campaign so that next campaign could be made more effective.
The mayor expressed these views while chairing a meeting of task force constituted on the directions of the prime minister under his chairmanship. Representatives of Islamabad and Rawalpindi administrations, district health officers and officers of the other formations concerned attended the meeting.
Anser Aziz said that main objective of the task force was to establish effective liaison between the twin cities and formulate coordinated policy so that menace of the polio could be completely eradicated. He said that polio teams from Rawalpindi administration will administer polio drops in the area which are in the jurisdiction of Rawalpindi police.
The areas falls under jurisdiction of Islamabad police would be covered by teams of the Metropolitan Corporation Islamabad (MCI) and the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) Administration. The mayor said that due to unclear boundaries of the twin cities many children were left without administering polio drops.
He said that boundaries of the seven union councils of Islamabad were common with Rawalpindi while boundaries of 30 union councils of Rawalpindi were common with the Islamabad city, therefore, clear cut demarcation was necessary so that every child under the age of five years could be administered with polio drops.
Anser Aziz said that registration of the child under the age of five years complete and complied data of polio campaign was guarantee of success. He directed the Rawalpindi and Islamabad administrations and health departments to ensure true implementation of plan for polio campaign being started from May 07.
He directed to call meeting of the task force on the conclusion of campaign so that success of the campaign evaluated and problems faced during the campaign could be discussed. The mayor said that local representatives have an important role, therefore, they should play their role in administering polio drops in their respective union councils.
He said that in order to curb polio completely new recruitment was also being made, and advertisement in this regard has been issued in the newspapers and soon newly recruited staff will be available to carry out this campaign. He stated that it was national responsibility to fight with this deadly disease until its complete illumination so that our next generation could be saved.
