Polio case in Quetta

MN Report

QUETTA- The health authorities in Balochistan have decided in response to the detection of a new Polio case in Quetta to take departmental action and penalize the district health officer (DHO) of Quetta and World Health Organisation's staff, along with the COMNet.

According to media reports, the Health Secretary Noorul Haq Baloch took notice of the detection of the new polio case and sought report from the additional deputy commissioner, according to official sources.

“The initial investigation suggests that it was the refusal case,” the secretary told a meeting held at the Emergency Operation Centre (EOC).

EOC coordinator Dr Syed Saifur Rehman, provincial heads of the WHO, Unicef, COMNet, N-STOP and representatives of other agencies attended the meeting.

Officials of the Union Council Pashtoonabad, 11-B, were called to the meeting to present details of the new polio case.

Mr Rehman told the meeting that it was the responsibility of everyone involved in the campaign to ensure that every single refusal case was covered. “We cannot ignore a single case in Balochistan and will utilize all resources to eradicate polio,” he said.

Noorul Haq Baloch said the health department had zero tolerance for negligence by the staff because polio had become a serious challenge for the government.

“District health officer, polio eradication officer, lady health workers and officials of international partner agencies will go home if there are any new cases of polio in Balochistan,” he added.

“The confirmation of polio case would be considered a complete failure of the administration and partner agencies working in Balochistan,” he told the meeting.

Media reports have stated that; The secretary sought explanation from additional deputy commissioner of Quetta and ordered a departmental action against the DHO and officials of WHO and COMNet staff in Quetta.

He said the performance needed to be improved at the highest level.