PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor, Engineer Shaukatullah has said that we have taken the task to protect every child of FATA becoming victim of Polio virus on Thursday. He said that the task of protecting every child from polio , a challenge for youth, Ulema and tribal elders along in our ongoing efforts to wipe out every possibility of re-occurrence of new polio case. Emergence of new polio cases in Bara Tehsil of Khyber Agency, F.R. Bannu and North Wazirsitan bringing the total number to 37 in entire FATA is though a matter of grave concern yet we are confident to overcome it with more active and determined support of our polio teams, law enforcement agencies, political administration, parliamentarians, and tribal elders within shortest possible time, he said.
Addressing a well attended ceremony to mark the International Polio Day held under the auspices of the Social Sectors Department of FATA Secretariat at Governor’s House here on Thursday .
“Children in Bara Tehsil have already been administered polio drops after a big loss and now is the time that each and every segment of the society and stake holders especially the polio teams must join hands and contribute devotedly to ensure that not a single child is deprived of the polio drops”, The ceremony attended by a good number of FATA Scouts and students from FATA studying in various universities, besides representatives of WHO, UNICEF, Rotary International and the government officials was also addressed by Secretary Social Sector, FATA, Aftab Akbar Durrani, representative of WHO in Pakistan, Dr.Sarfarz Khan Afridi and an ex-Vice Chancellor of University of Peshawar, Prof. Dr. Qibla Ayaz.
The selfless working of the jawans of Pak Army, Police, voluntary organizations and other concerned, the governor remarked, are well acknowledged d and no efforts will be spared to avoid any difficulty in this respect in future.
“People in FATA are highly receptive towards any initiative meant for their well being and the only need is that they should be approached and taken along and we will make sure that Ulema, tribal elders and the educated youth are taken on board in carrying out ensuing polio vaccination campaigns more effectively, the governor said.
The working of polio teams, he added, will be thoroughly reviewed after a while and if their functioning did not prove to be satisfactory, they will be replaced with new ones and the same process will be continued.
Meanwhile, the audience were educated in detail about the fatal effects of Polio disease through displaying documentaries, slides, plays presented by polio workers and attractive banners.
Aftab Akbar Durrani, and Dr. Sarfaraz Khan Afridi while highlighting the salient features of the prevailing situation as well as future requirements to overcome the problem also pointed out that FATA with 37 polio cases, shares 75 percent of the total Burdon in the entire country while Pakistan is numbered amongst only three countries of the world where the problem is still lingering on.
Prof Dr. Qibla Ayaz in his remarks highlighted the importance of vaccination of polio drops for ensuring healthy generations.
“We are religiously bound to ensure safe and healthy life of our children a and to make this possible, the parents must avail the available opportunities, he said.
