Chitral Times Report
PESHAWAR: Chief Secretary Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Dr. Kazim Niaz has said that complete eradication of polio virus from the province is the top priority of the incumbent government adding that though it is a very challenging task but not at all an impossible one. He said the provincial Government would utilize all its available resources to safeguard our future generations against the fatal disease and added that eradication of polio from the province is our national obligation as well as international commitment.
He was chairing a meeting of the Provincial Task Force (PTF) on polio eradication here on Monday. Besides chairperson Standing Committee of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly on Health Dr. Sumera Shams, Administrative Secretaries of relevant departments, concerned high ups of police, all divisional commissioners and Deputy Commissioners, relevant quarters of both federal and provincial Emergency Operation Centers (EOC) and representatives of world Health Organizations and other international partner organizations attended the meeting.
Coordinator Provincial Emergency Operation Centre , Mr. Abdul Basit gave a detailed briefing to the forum on various aspects of polio eradication program with special focus on the challenges confronting the polio program in the province. The forum discussed in detail various suggestions to run the anti-polio campaign in a more effective, coordinated and result oriented manner in order to achieve the maximum possible targets of the campaigns. Alignment of provincial EOC with national EOC having clear roles and responsibilities , establishing a strategic and sustained approach to community engagement , preparing an outbreak analysis and coherent response strategies, improvement of accountability and decision implementation, strengthening of overall EPI program, resolving the issue of deficiency of doctors and EPI technicians in EPI centers, increasing the number of EPI centers, increasing the remuneration of front-line polio workers and maximum involvement of political and religious leaders in polio programs were some of the important suggestions.
In his address to the participants of the meeting, the chief Secretary stressed the need of effective and close coordination amongst the divisional commissioners, deputy commissioners, all line departments and the international partner organizations in order to make the anti-polio campaign more effective adding that all the stake holders should immediately start working on developing a close coordination mechanism. He termed the role of Commissioners and Deputy Commissioners as of vital importance in the anti-polio drives and asked them to play leading role in their respective divisions and districts and accept the ownership of the campaigns. He further directed the commissioners and deputy commissioners to regularly hold the meetings of Divisional Task Force and District Task Force beside holding the evening meeting during the campaigns. The chief Secretary also directed the commissioners and the Deputy commissioners to pay special attention to the high risk union councils in their respective areas and to get the local political and religious leadership involved in those UCs.
While stressing the need of innovative approaches to achieve maximum targets of anti-polio drives, the chief secretary said that eradication of polio virus was a national obligation as well as an international commitment which requires dedication, devotion and innovative approaches on the part of all the Stake-Holders.
“The provincial government is fully committed to eradicate polio virus from the province; and as such there will be no compromise on the quality and effectiveness of polio campaigns” , the Chief Secretary remarked.
“Though it is a challenging task to eradicate the polio virus from the province but the day is not too far away when we will accomplish the task”, he optimistically concluded.