SWABI, Jan 30: The district administration and health officials after holding successful talks with the vaccinators have decided to resume the ongoing anti-polio campaign in the district.

Deputy Commissioner Syed Mohammad Shad said that they succeeded in convincing the vaccinators to resume their duties from Thursday to complete the ongoing anti-polio drive.

In this connection, two meetings were held at the office of deputy commissioner to discuss provision of security to the vaccinators and resumption of the polio campaign.

The meetings were attended by District Health Officer Dr Zafeer, in-charge of Expanded Programme for Immunisation Dr Mohammad Riaz, Superintendent of Police Abdul Rashid and lady health supervisors.

The campaign was put off in the district on Tuesday after an attack on the polio team in Kala village. A policeman, who was providing security to two women vaccinators, was killed in the attack. The vaccinators remained unhurt in the attack.

Sources said that lady health supervisors informed the officers that they would contact the 754 lady health workers (LHWs) to ascertain whether they were ready to resume their duty or not.

The campaigners, when contacted, said that they were reluctant to resume the campaign owing to threat to their lives. However, the administration reduced the area of the campaign and vowed to provide full-fledged security to them.

“We have planned to administer anti-polio drops to 252,216 children in the district. However, the two-day campaign is yet to be carried out," said Dr Riaz.

Sources said that more than one-third of the target children were already covered in the campaign and the remaining would be covered when the drive would restart on Thursday.

However, the duration of the campaign has been kept secret owing to security reasons.

The health authorities have constituted 538 mobile teams and 24 transit points for the anti-polio drive while 754 LHWs are participating in the campaign. It has been learnt that the health authorities want to complete the drive as soon as possible.

Police, when contacted, said that no one claimed responsibility for the killing of their colleague and no arrest was made in the case. However, they said that police were alert and vigilant round the clock.

Meanwhile the deputy commissioner has imposed ban on pillion riding in the district. The deputy commissioner said that the ban would remain imposed for a few days but he did not disclose as to when the ban would be lifted.

He said that motorcyclists were involved in majority of the incidents of terrorism occurred in the district during the current month.