QUETTA: Chief Minister Balochistan, Dr. Malik Baloch administered polio drops to children as an anti-polio campaign was launched in Quetta and other 31 districts of the province amid tight security on Monday morning.

Dr Baloch kicked off the drive by administering drops to some children at Chief Minister's Secretariat in Quetta.

"We are determined to eradicate polio virus from the province," Chief Minister Dr. Malik Baloch told reporters.

During the three-day immunisation drive, vaccine drops would be administered to more than 2.4 million children in all 32 districts of Balochistan.

Heightened security arrangements

In Quetta, police personnel were guarding the polio volunteers to ensure their security. Security of polio teams have been tightened in Quetta and other troubled districts of Balochistan in the aftermath of attacks at teams.

In view of security threats, the provincial government has already imposed ban on pillion riding in Quetta during the three-day campaign.

District Administration Quetta imposed section 144 to avoid occurrence of any untoward incident during the drive.

"Government has provided security to polio teams across the province," Dr. Baloch said.

Related Balochistan's fifth polio case of the year confirmed in Quetta

Health Department and Emergency Operation Cell (EOC) established for eradication of polio formed more than 7,000 teams to ensure provision of polio drops to all children below the age of five years.

More than 4,000 refuse to be vaccinated

Dr. Saif ur Rehman thus revealed that the Emergency Cell has documented the data of more than 4000 parents refusing polio drops to their children. "All would be convinced through our committees to administer polio drops to their children", he expressed the hope.

"For the first time, a massive anti polio campaign has been launched in Balochistan", Dr. Rehman, the told DawnNews.

Also read: 4,000 parents in northern Balochistan refuse polio vaccination

He said there was close coordination among all government departments to make the campaign a success.

"We are committed to eradicate the crippling virus at all costs," Dr. Saif ur Rehman said. Hitherto, five polio cases have been reported from Balochistan during the year 2015.

Almost 32 polio cases were reported across Pakistan with five of them only coming from Balochistan.

Pakistan and Afghanistan are the only two countries in the world which have not been able to eradicate the polio-virus while no case of polio virus was reported in Nigeria over a year.

In Balochistan, 84 per cent children are not immunised and are prone to various preventable and fatal diseases, data from the Emergency Operation Center (EOC) revealed.

However, refusal on the part of some parents and attacks at polio workers and volunteers remain to be the main reasons behind the virus.

The polio campaign has a history of being postponed and suspended owing to security reasons in Quetta.