Staff Reporter Peshawar
Special Assistant to Chief Minister KP for Information and Higher Education Kamran Khan Bangash Sunday said that the polio virus has been almost eradicated from all over Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, including the merged districts, for which the people and the government are equally deserving of congratulations.
He was addressing the media after attending the special review meeting on the occasion of World Polio Day at Cabinet Room of Civil Secretariat Peshawar.
The meeting was largely participated by Health and Finance Minister Timur Saleem Jhagra, Labor Minister Shaukat Yousafzai, Special Assistant for Information and Higher Education Kamran Bangash, Member Provincial Assembly Rabia Basri, Divisional Commissioners and high ups from Police, Health Department, Rotary International and Emergency Operations Center.
Kamran Bangash clarified on the occasion that a healthy Pakistan is the vision of Prime Minister Imran Khan wherein the commitment of the present provincial government under the leadership of Chief Minister Mahmood Khan towards Polio free Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was also crystal clear.
He said the joint efforts of our federal and provincial governments nearing to the set WHO yardstick of declaring a country polio-free wherein no virus found for three years consequently and to this end, he said, anti-polio campaigns have been made effective across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
He added that the fact that no case of polio has been reported in the province till date is a clear proof of our sincerity and success.
Kamran Bangash reiterated his government’s commitment that we will not contend until polio is completely eliminated from KP.
He said that police and other law enforcement agencies have rendered invaluable services for the success of polio campaigns while our brave polio workers are benefactors and heroes of the nation.
Kamran Bangash said that no case of polio has been reported even from high risk areas while the absence of polio virus in environmental samples is also an important milestone achievement. He said that eradication of polio has always been the top most priority of the KP government.
It is gratifying that religious scholars and parents have also played their full role in the polio campaign while public cooperation with polio volunteers is urgently needed to continue the journey of success, he said.
The KP government spokesman further said that it is also welcome to know that not a single polio case has been reported from the tribal districts.
The participants expressed hope that the steps taken by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government for the complete eradication of polio would be appreciated at national and international level while the provincial government would continue its efforts. The participants also eulogised the cooperation and role of the media in this regard.