- Wrong data provided by health officers aggravated polio situation, says Saira Afzal Tarar
Minister of State for Health Saira Afzal Tarar has held the officers of Health Department responsible for sending wrong data which aggravated the polio situation and brought bad name to the country.
Talking to journalists after presiding over a meeting about vaccination against polio by the Sindh government Wednesday, Tarar said the plan prepared by the Sindh government for eradication of polio is very positive but emergent steps are needed to control the crippling disease.
The minister said the purpose is not to point out the mistakes of the Sindh government but to devise a strategy to confront the challenge head on. She said about 800,000 IDPs were administered polio drops but the problem being faced is that no restrictions can be imposed on the IDPs on their movement and as a result there is danger of polio spread. She said dealing with polio does not need rocket science to overcome it.
During the meeting, a strategy was devised to control polio.
Mrs Azra Fazal Pechuho gave a detailed briefing to the meeting and said the Sindh government is determined to bring an end to polio in the province. She said 61 union councils in Karachi have been declared sensitive while the situation in the interior of Sindh is satisfactory.
Tarar directed the officials of the Sindh government to ensure eradication of polio in Karachi and ensure full protection of polio vaccination teams.
The meeting was attended by Federal Health Secretary Ayub Sheikh, DG Health Asad Hafeez, Additional IG Karachi, Commissioner Karachi and concerned officers of the Sindh health department.
