PESHAWAR
Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Sardar Ali Amin Khan Gandapur was called on by Prime Minister’s Focal Person on polio eradication, Senator Ayesha Raza Farooq on Monday. Matters related to strengthening anti-polio campaigns to eradicate polio virus from the province came under discussion during the call on meeting.
Chief Secretary Nadeem Aslam Chaudhry, Additional Chief Secretary Interior Muhammad Abid Majeed, Secretary Health Adeel Shah and other relevant officials were also present in the meeting. Speaking on this occasion, the Chief Minister said that eradication of polio virus from the province was on top of the priority list of his government adding that he was personally looking into polio eradication campaign, and the present provincial government was taking steps with a renewed determination to make the province free of polio virus. He remarked that eradication of polio virus was a national cause, and was above politics and all other commitments, and added that this is a matter of a secure future of our young generations and there will be no compromise on it. The Chief Minister termed it encouraging that no case of polio was reported in the province so far this year, and stated that despite difficult situation of law and order, practical measures are being taken to continue the anti-polio campaigns in an effective manner to achieve its set targets, and special attention is focused on anti-polio campaigns in hard tatget areas. He underscored the need of out of the box solutions in hard target areas, and said that the provincial government has given some suggestions in the National Polio Task Force meeting, which, if implemented, will yield better results. Ali Amin Gandapur also stressed the need of engaging the local communities to make anti polio campaigns more effective in problamatic areas, and to strengthen routine immunization for better results of anti-polio campaigns. He fufther suggested that anti polio campaigns be launched in staggared manner at divisional level in areas with law and order issues.
Lauding the role of front line polio workers, the Chief Minister said that frontline polio workers and security personnel deputed on the security of polio teams are our heroes adding that the provincial government higly values the sacrifices of polio workers and security personnel who lost their lives in the line of duties. Ali Amin Gandapur stated that the provincial government is giving free plots to the heirs of workers martyred during polio duty in recognition of their sacrifices. He reiterated his government’s commitment and resolve to fight the menace of polio until it is completely eradicated from the province.
Talking on this occasion, Ayesha Raza Farooq appriciated the leadership role of the Chief Minister in anti-polio campaigns, and expressed the hope that under the dynamic leadership of the chief minister, antio polio campaigns will yield its desired results in the province. Both the dignitaries expressed the resolve to work together as a team to eradicate polio virus from the provincial as well as from the country.
