Federal Health Minister, Mir Aijaz Hussain Jakhrani opened a three-day anti-polio drive in capital on Monday by administering anti-polio drops to children at Barakahu, in the outskirts of Islamabad. After administering polio drops to children below five, the minister talked to the families and enquired them about the performance of anti-polio teams that whether they visit their houses or not during polio drives.
The anti-polio initiative is the top most priority area in health sector and every effort would be made to ensure that all new born children are immunised during the anti-polio immunisation campaign, the minister maintained while talking to reporters present on the occasion.
He also visited a bus stop and a petrol pump, where especial polio points have been established. The minister said that especial arrangements have been made at bus stops, railway stations, airports, all plazas on motorway and highways, district crossing points and Pak-Afghan border to immunise the children.
He appealed people to co-operate with the government in administering anti-polo drops to their children during the campaign. "The government is committed to eradicate the menace of polio from the country and all possible efforts would be made to immunise as many children as it can during the campaign," he added.
Earlier, Dr Amir Zada Khan, district health officer, Islamabad briefed the minister about the arrangements made by the health department for the campaign. Country head of WHO, Dr Khalif Bile and Unicef country representative, Martin Mongwanja were also present on the occasion.