Not a single polio case has been reported from any part of the province during the current year and if we succeed in administering polio vaccine to 100 percent children during the next polio eradication campaign, the Punjab province would become polio-free during 2005. Punjab Chief Secretary Kamran Rasool said this while talking to World Health Organisation's Global Chief for Polio Eradication Campaign Dr David Heymann, who called on him here on Tuesday, disclosed an official.

Provincial secretary health, director general health services Punjab, WHO's Country Representative Dr Khalid Bile, Unicef Chief Dr Deepak and DCOs of various districts were also present.

The chief secretary assured that the Punjab government would make necessary arrangements during the next polio campaign for administering vaccine to all children below the age of five.

Dr David Heymann said that WHO was spending over three billion dollars on polio eradication campaign in the world. "If we succeed in eradicating polio disease from the world, as early as possible, we could be able to spend more funds for solving other problems being faced by health sector," he added.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2005