Gandapur vows efforts to eradicate polio

PESHAWAR: Prime Minister’s Focal Person on Polio Eradication Senator Ayesha Raza Farooq on Monday called on Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur and informed him about the efforts being made to eradicate the crippling disease.

A handout said that matters related to strengthening anti-polio campaigns to eradicate poliovirus from the province were discussed during the meeting.Chief Secretary Nadeem Aslam Chaudhry, Additional Chief Secretary Home Muha­mmad Abid Majeed, Secretary Health Adeel Shah and other officials were present.

The chief minister said that eradication of poliovirus from the province was on top priority of his government, adding that he was personally looking into polio eradication campaigns. He said the government was taking steps with a renewed determination to make the province free of polio.

Gandapur remarked that the eradication of poliovirus was a national cause and was above politics and all other commitments. He added that this was a matter of a secure future for our young generations and there will be no compromise on it.

The chief minister said it was encouraging that no case of polio was reported in the province this year. He stated that despite poor law and order, practical measures were being

taken to continue the anti-polio campaigns to eradicate polio.

The chief minister underscored the need for an out-of-the-box solution to eradicate polio and said that the provincial government had given some suggestions in the National Polio Task Force meeting, which, if implemented, will yield better results.Gandapur stressed the need to engage the local communities to make anti-polio campaigns more effective besides strengthening routine immunization for better results.