DCs warned against laxity in anti-polio campaign

LAHORE : Punjab Chief Secretary Yousaf Naseem Khokhar has directed the deputy commissioners to step up efforts for eradication of polio in the province. He warned that no negligence would be tolerated in this regard. He said that concerted and joint efforts were needed for complete eradication of polio from the country.

Speaking at a meeting of the Provincial Taskforce on Polio Eradication at Civil Secretariat here on Friday, the chief secretary asked the deputy commissioners to spearhead the activities being undertaken to combat polio in their districts and hold review meetings on a regular basis.

He directed the officers to pay special attention to anti-polio campaign, starting from April 22, besides removing hurdles in the way of achieving 100 per cent coverage. He ordered that dependence on volunteers should be minimised to ensure quality in the drive.

He also issued instructions to different departments to extend full cooperation to the health departments in the anti-polio campaign. He maintained that people's cooperation was of key importance in efforts to fight polio. Punjab Health Minister Dr Yasmin Rashid directed that human resource model and micro plan be revised in the districts which were vulnerable to polio virus.

She said the lady health works could play a vital role in efforts to eradicate polio as they work at the community level. She said 13,000 lady health workers would be recruited to overcome the shortage of human resource.

Provincial Coordinator for Polio Eradication Salman Ghani told the meeting that total six polio cases, including one in Lahore district, had been reported in Pakistan in 2019.

Open court: To listen to the problems of the citizens, the district administration held an open court at the office of assistant commissioner in Tehsil Shalimar here on Friday afternoon. Deputy Commissioner Ms Saleha Saeed listened to applicants and gave directions to the officials concerned to solve their problems within a short span of time.

Total 17 applications were submitted in the open court and the DC forwarded them to the authorities concerned.

The DC directed the Shalimar AC to decide each case on merit. The DC said, “We are going to each Tehsil and we have started this process from Tehsil Shalimar and now we will hold open court in another Tehsil on next Friday.” Meanwhile, on the direction of the DC, the price control magistrates continued the crackdown on shopkeepers involved in overcharging and detained 24 shopkeepers and imposed fine of Rs 46,000.