Complete Elimination of Polio Is Essential to Give Future Generations a Secure Future: Chief Secretary Balochistan Shakeel Qadir Khan
Quetta (Daily Qudrat Quetta) — A meeting of the Provincial Task Force for Polio Eradication was held under the chairmanship of Chief Secretary Balochistan Shakeel Qadir Khan, in which, along with reviewing the performance of the previous polio campaign, detailed consideration was given to preparations for the next campaign, micro-planning, vaccination coverage, and the challenges faced.
Prime Minister’s Focal Person for Polio, Ayesha Raza, participated in the meeting via video link. Provincial EOC Coordinator Inam-ul-Haq, Special Secretary Health Shahak Baloch, commissioners, deputy commissioners, district health officers, and other relevant officials attended.
During the meeting, a performance report of the previous campaign was presented, while an assessment was made of the steps taken by relevant departments and district administration to make the next campaign effective and successful.
On this occasion, Chief Secretary Balochistan Shakeel Qadir Khan said that the complete elimination of the polio virus from the province is among the government’s top priorities, and all available resources will be utilized to achieve this national goal. He said that along with identifying the obstacles in the way of polio eradication, effective measures are also necessary for their permanent redressal.
He said that the elimination of the polio virus from the province is essential to provide our future generations with a secure and healthy future. The Chief Secretary said that refusal to administer the polio vaccine and the presence of zero-dose children are two different issues, whose causes must be separately examined and an effective strategy adopted.
He expressed particular concern over the performance of those districts where vaccination coverage remained better during previous campaigns, but declined in the recent campaign. He directed that the reasons for the reduction in coverage be immediately determined and practical steps taken for their redressal.
The Chief Secretary, directing that the attendance and performance of duties of polio teams and vaccinators be ensured, said that action should be taken according to the rules against officials showing negligence or lack of interest in duty, while where there is a shortage of staff, the Health Department should immediately take necessary measures.
The Chief Secretary said that polio eradication is not an unattainable goal; rather, this objective can be achieved through an effective strategy, responsibility, sincerity, and continuous monitoring. He said that Pakistan has made significant progress in various sectors and has demonstrated performance on par with developed countries in several fields, therefore collective commitment and effective measures are also needed to achieve the national goal of polio eradication.
The Chief Secretary, issuing clear instructions to relevant officials to make the next polio campaign successful, said that the set targets must be achieved in any case, and any kind of negligence, shortcoming, or irresponsibility during the campaign will not be tolerated.
Earlier, EOC Coordinator Balochistan Inam-ul-Haq gave a detailed briefing to the meeting regarding the performance of previous polio campaigns, the current situation, and preparations for the next campaign.
