The provincial government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa failed in achieving the target of vaccinating 1.6 million children against polio under its much-trumpeted `Sehat Ka Insaf' programme. The KP government under its campaign, initiated in Peshawar and extended to three more districts of Mardan, Charsadda and Swabi, administered polio drops to 1.3m children, leaving a huge number of 0.3m children unattended.
Addressing a news conference, Senior Minister for Health, Shahram Khan Tarakai, however, attributed the missing of the target to various reasons like engagement of the people in different social activities.
He said that Peshawar witnessed 10th round of the campaign adding Swabi, Mardan and Charsadda were included in the ambit of the campaign for the first time. He lauded the role of police, saying that their efforts ensured safety of the polio teams. He said that Vitamin A dose was also administered to the children during the campaign.
The minister told that special medical camps would be arranged in the union councils where vaccination drive could not be carried out due to certain reasons. He said that two more rounds of `Sehat Ka Insaf' campaign would be conducted in the provincial metropolis, while eight rounds will be conducted in other areas.
He said that they have the full co-operation of international agencies like UNICEF, WHO and local police in 'Sehat Ka Insaf' programme.
He urged the people, media and clerics to support the efforts of the government against this crippling disease. He vowed that all available resource would be utilised to administer anti-polio drops in areas where refusal cases have been reported.
To a query, the minister acknowledged that the cease-fire announced by militants has yielded positive impact on the polio eradication campaign. He also hinted that the campaign would also be extended to the southern districts of the province.