MANSEHRA/LAKKI MARWAT, Dec 15: Nine union councils of Mansehra district are to miss the upcoming polio vaccination campaign due to heavy snowfall, according to district executive officer (health) Dr Siddiqur Rehman.

“Polio campaign will not be carried out in nine snowbound union councils of the district,” the DCO said during the campaign’s inaugural function at King Abdullah Teaching Hospital (Kath) here on Saturday.

State minister Sardar Shahjehan Yousaf inaugurated the polio campaign by administering oral vaccine to a child.

Medial superintendent of Kath Dr Niaz Mohammad were also present on the occasion.

“We are not going to hold polio drive in nine snowbound union councils of the district. The new schedule for it will be announced after the weather clears,” said the EDO.

He said a total of 220,000 children of and under five years of age would be administered polio drops in 50 union council of Mansehra.

Dr Rehman said the union councils where polio drive wouldn’t be held included Kaghan, Hangrai, Ghanool, Jabbar Davli, Chatter Plan, Battal, Hilkot, Kuwai and Jaraid.

Minister Yousaf said the government was taking all possible measures for polio eradiation from the country.

“Though the government is using all its resources to end polio from the country, it is also the responsibility of all segments of the society, including parents, to extend full support to the government in making the country polio-free,” he said.In Lakki Marwat, DCO Nisar Ahmad on Saturday called upon the officials of local administration, heads of the line departments and health authorities to ensure strict monitoring of polio teams during the three-day anti-polio drive starting from tomorrow (Monday).

Speaking at the inaugural ceremony of polio eradication campaign at District Secretariat, Tajazai, the DCO said chairmen of union council level polio eradication committees had already been directed to engage teachers, patwaris, clerics and other influential people to ensure 100 per cent coverage of the children, whose parents previously refused their immunisation.

He along with EDO health Dr Abdul Ghaffar Wazir administrated anti-polio drops to several children aged five or below.

“The eradication of crippling disease is a national cause,” he said, warning that the government officials and employees would be taken to the task if they showed negligence and dereliction in carrying out the assigned task.

WHO Polio Eradication Officer Dr Adnan Akbar Khan called for the launch of concerted efforts to eliminate poliovirus from the district.

“It is evident from surfacing of two confirm polio cases in the district this year that the poliovirus is in circulation here,” he said.

EDO (health) Dr Ghaffar shed light on the preparations for the three-day campaign and said 421 polio teams would immunise 144,857 children under the age of five years against polio.