Islamabad, January 26, 2015:  In a meeting held at the Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination here today, Minister for National Health Services Saira Afzal Tarar welcomed Sehat ka Ittehad initiative jointly planned by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and FATA to fight polio.

Ministry of NHSR&C was willing to work in unison with KP Government to improve the health status of people of the province and the cooperation goes beyond Routine Immunization and Polio, the Minister added.

Earlier, briefing the Minister on the Sehat ka Ittehad plan, Minister for Health KP, Shahram Khan Tarakai said we need to work together in the larger interest of the country. He said the proposal of Sehat ka Ittehad was endorsed by the apex committee which brought together Chief Minister KP, Governor KP and Corps Commander.

There was a need to treat KP and FATA as one epidemiological block as both are contiguous and there is transmission of virus between these areas, added the Minister.

Speaking on the occasion, Prime Minister’s Focal Person on Polio Eradication, Ayesha Raza Farooq lauded the initiative and said its effective implementation would ensure that poliovirus transmission is stopped in this key reservoir area.

She appreciated the fact that during the last one day cordoned campaign there was no security incident in Peshawar.

 It was agreed that the operational security, administrative and communication plan of Sehat ka Ittehadwould be developed and shared with the federal team including Minister for NHSR&C and PM’s Focal Person for Polio Eradication during first week of February, 2015.