KOHAT: The district health department decided on Thursday to launch an eight-day special anti-polio vaccination campaign in the four high-risk areas of Kohat district.

In this regard a daylong advocacy session was held at the Liaquat Memorial Hospital (LMH) which was presided over by district health officer Abdul Khaliq. It was attended by LMH medical superintendent Dr Sameen Jan, Dr Arif Bokhari of TB Dots programme, Dr Zia of the WHO and a large number of other relevant people.

Dr Khaliq appealed to the parents to cooperate with the vaccination teams in administration of anti-polio injections to their children. The participants discussed ways to convince the people of the high-risk areas of Bilitang, Jarma, Kharmato and Shahpur to protect their children against the crippling disease. The special campaign would be conducted in these areas from June 1to June 8.

EPI coordinator Dr Haroon Khattak said that 8,000 children would be vaccinated in these areas during the drive. He said that any refusal cases would be conveyed to the deputy commissioner’s office for help and necessary action. He said 49 vaccination teams had been constituted for the campaign.

He also asked the district police officer to provide police personnel to accompany the vaccination teams and ensure their safety in some areas where parents could resist vaccination of their children.

COMMIT SUICIDE: A 12-year-old boy and his mother allegedly committed suicide by shooting themselves with a pistol in Merozai village on Thursday, police said.

They said that the victims were the daughter-in-law and grandson of former UC naib nazim, Mohammad Farooq, who was a candidate for the district council from JUI-F and had died a fortnight ago after a brief illness.

The police said that according to initial details the boy, Hamza, shot himself with a pistol inside his house after he was scolded by his father in front of his class fellows for his poor performance. They said that when mother of the student saw him lying in a pool of blood, she took the same pistol and shot herself.

The police told Dawn that Mohammad Asif, father of Hamza, was summoned to his Daffodils School and told that his son did not pay attention to his studies. Mr Asif allegedly scolded his son in front of his class fellows. The Saddar police registered the case and have launched investigations.

ELECTION SECURITY: The police have secured guarantees from 24 rival candidates in various sensitive union councils under the law that they will not create any trouble on the polling day.

District police officer Sohaib Ashraf said in a statement on Thursday said that such steps could be taken in other constituencies for maintenance of complete peace during the elections. “We have restricted 10 candidates from Urban- 3 and Urban-4, five candidates from Surgul and nine candidates from various tehsil councils and district councils in Lachi where there is a danger of fighting,” he said. These candidates have promised that they will not cause any harm to the rival candidates or their supporters.

Published in Dawn, May 22nd, 2015

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