Role of media in polio eradication stressed

PESHAWAR: The international organisations representatives on Friday said the media had an important role to play in the polio eradication.Speaking at the Peshawar Press Club, UNICEF’s Shadab Younis, World Health Organisation’s Shahid Khattak and officials of the district health office said that media could play an important role in creating awareness in polio eradication.

They said the government and media efforts had removed hurdles in polio vaccination at the union council level, adding efforts should be expedited to make Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Pakistan polio-free.

The speakers said the refusal cases had reduced drastically which would hopefully contribute to a reduction in the polio cases, particularly in the southern districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in the past. Shadab Younis said the masses should be educated that polio virus was harmful for people of every age. She said Afghanistan and Pakistan were the only countries where polio cases were being reported. The official said this year one polio case had been reported from the Bannu district, adding that the virus had not been eradicated.