CHITRAL: An anti-polio drive has started in Chitral amid road blockades in many arras due to heavy snowfall and landsliding.
The campaign to administer drops to children under the age of five years will continue for five days, till March 15.
The health department has deputed teams to visit door to door and administer drops to children at fixed and mobile points.
Most areas in Upper Chitral such as upper Yarkhun and Broghil valley are inaccessible due to heavy snow and a polio campaign there will be launched later.
The polio drive in Upper Chitral was launched from the Headquarters Hospital in Booni in the presence of Dr Farman Wali Khan, the medical superintendent of the hospital, on Monday morning.
In Lower Chitral, the drive started from the DHQ hospital under the supervision of District Health Officer Dr Fayyaz Rumi.
Polio teams and their police security guards were also present on the occasion.
As many as 1,073 police personnel have been deployed with 465 polio teams in the district of Lower Chitral, the police said in a statement.
It may be mentioned here that Chitral has remained a polio-free area for over 30 years.