DADU: Polio teams have failed to administer polio drops to children in the flood hit areas of Dadu district, but they have been sending fake figures to the authorities of covering children under the age of five in the remote areas of the district.

Affected residents of various villages and towns have appealed to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and World Health Organization (WHO) representative of Pakistan to take serious notice of the issue and protect their children from polio virus.

It is a general complaint of people from the affected areas that the teams do not fulfil their duty owing to a lack of supervision of the district administration, senior officers of the health department and the WHO in the field.

The flood hit areas include Moundar, Purano Deero, KT Ghaloo, KT Jatoi, Jhaloo, Saeedpur, KT Keera, Jan Mohammad, Sain Dad Ja Bhan, Fareed Khan, Imam Bux Ja Bhan, Mureed Ja Bhan, Shir Ranjhani, Gul

Mohammad Dawachh, Golo Jo Goth, Ismail Ja Bhan, Imam Bux Machhi Ja Bhan, Buxoo Shahani Ja Bhan, Dano Chandio, Jumoo Khan Chahwan, Nau Goth, Bhand Mari, Jaro Kalhoro, Dodo Kalhoro, Malhi Lakhiar, Gulan Lakhiar and Nari. The remote areas of Kheer Thar Mountain Range like Shah Godrio, Faridabad, Salari, Mian Naseer Mohammad, Sodo Bodo, Karo Koat, Kafir Koat, Piprasar, Gorakh hills, Nai Gaaj and Hengan fountain are also seriously affected.From Jan 1, 2013, to Feb 28, 2015, four cases of polio were found in the district due to negligence of the health department and district administration.

Residents of the affected villages and towns have expressed fear that if polio drops are not administered to their children, they would be infected with the deadly virus.

A herdman of KT Jatoi, Shaman Ali, complained that as soon flood water had receded, they returned homes, but not a single team of the health department reached to administer polio drops to their children.

A peasant living in KT Kheera, Ghulam Qadir, said Katcho belt from Purano Deero to Aminiani was not covered by polio teams. He alleged that officials of the health department and polio teams had embezzled million rupees by claiming transport allowance and dearness allowance (TA/DA) and fuel charges through fake vouchers of expenditures in the record.

Shah Mohammad of Shah Godrio said that he had not seen a single team in his areas through out his life. There were 35 small and big villages and their population was over 500,00 of which 1,500 children were under age of five years.

Similarly, some other people also made the same complaints.

In replying to a question about the work of polio teams in field, focal person of the Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI) at district health office Dadu, Dr Abdul Hameed Soomro, said the target was fixed to administer polio drops to 337,495 children in the district from Sept 14 to 17. According to reports sent by polio teams from various areas, 100 per cent polio drops were administered to children according to their target, he said.

The opinion of District Health Officer Dr Ali Bux Qadri was also different from the residents of various villages and towns of Katcho and mountain areas.

He said 100 per cent target was achieved in all parts of the district. His office had not received single complaint from any area about any polio team, he said.

Meanwhile, Additional Deputy Commissioner-I Sukkur Abdul Ghaffar Soomro has warned of stern action against the officials concerned if any child is missed while administering polio drops.

He gave warning while presiding over a meeting in connection with an anti-polio campaign at Conference Hall of DC office Sukkur on Monday.

The anti-polio campaign would be launched in Sukkur district from 12th Oct 12 to 15.

Published in Dawn, October 6th , 2015

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