Islamabad :State Minister for National Health Services, Regulation and Coordination Saira Afzal Tarar has said that sincere efforts are being made to eradicate polio virus from Pakistan by year 2016.
As a result of steps being taken by the government, situation is getting better day by day as only 26 cases of polio have been reported so far in this year, she said while talking to a private news channel. She said that the federal government and the provincial governments have devised a plan to create awareness about the disease up to union council level.
– 12 high-risk districts –
She said that the government has been giving more attention to 12 high-risk districts including Pashin, Quetta, Tank and Peshawar district as most of the new polio cases were being reported from these areas. “In the past, we were unable to administer polio drops at some places due to security reasons,” she pointed out.
– Polio campaign after Zarb-e-Azb –
However, the major sensitive areas including North and South Waziristan were now in access for polio campaign due to Zarb-e-Azb military operation, the minister said.
