Peshawar, December 22; Members of the Provincial Assembly of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa belonging to different major political parties met in Peshawar with Speaker Honourable Mr. Kiramat Ullah Khan in the chair. The briefing session to discuss the �Immunization Campaigns in the Flood hit areas � Challenges and Way Forward was arranged for the members of the Provincial Assembly of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa by PILDAT.

Mr. Ahmed Bilal Mehboob, Executive Director-PILDAT, while giving the background of the briefing session said that the elected representatives can play a very effective role in the specific context of promoting Expanded Programme on immunization-EPI. Provincial Legislatures can play a very important role in enhancing the understanding and participation of their communities in the EPI initiatives, Mr. Bilal said. A committed leadership of Legislators can add to the steps towards achieving MDGs as they too can strongly advocate on the issue at the highest level, allocate adequate resources for child health, legislate to ensure universal access to essential care and also oversee the implementation of relevant policies.

Dr. Bilal from UNICEF, while addressing the participants of the briefing session laid emphasis on the support of the public representatives to make the Immunization Campaigns more successful. He also said that Pakistan may face travel restrictions if polio is not eradicated from the country.

Dr. Janbaz Khan Afridi, Director EPI, KPK, gave a power point presentation and put forward the figures collected from the province and FATA areas. He said polio has been eradicated from all the countries of the world except four and Pakistan is one of them. He said that the number of reported polio cases in FATA has risen to 68 from 18 since 2009 and in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa it has declined to 24 from 28 during the same time. He also highlighted the constituencies and the members elected from these constituencies where polio cases have been detected.

Mr. Israr Ullah Gandapur a member of the Provincial Assembly of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, during his address appreciated the efforts made by PILDAT to sensitize the members of the provincial legislature. In his remarks he suggested that the form being used to collect the data for Benazir Income support programme should be used to collect data about immunization as it can provide useful information in the absence of a census.

During the question answer session Mr. Javid Abbasi MPA, demanded that the issue was of grave importance and should be debated in the house.

Mr. Qalb-e-Hassan MPA, Mr. Badshah Saleh MPA and Dr.Faiza Rasheed MPA, said that there is no electricity available in the far flung areas of the province and even if there is electricity the power outages are so extensive that it is impossible to maintain the cold chain to keep the polio vaccine effective. They stressed that if steps can be taken to provide the Basic health units with refrigerators that are operated by solar power it will help reduce the polio virus considerably as the proper cold chain can be maintained.

In his closing remarks hounourable Kiramat Ullah Khan, Speaker Provincial assembly Khyber Pakhtunkhwa said that maintaining the cold chain is the basic need to eradicte polio from the province. He stressed upon the UNICEF representative to provide solar operated refrigerators in order to maintain the cold chain as electricity outages were the major hindrance. He said after the passing of the 18th amendment, health was now a provincial subject and legislation should be carried out in the house on compulsory immunization. He directed the members present in the briefing session to draft a resolution to this effect and also announced a debate in the house on the subject the following morning. He thanked PILDAT and hoped that the members of the provincial assembly will work in harmony to show that they have the political will and resolve to address the menace of polio in the province.

MPAs who attended the briefing session included:
Shugafta Malik � ANP, Yasmin Pir Muhammad Khan � ANP, Maulvi Obaidullah � PK 61 (ANP), Mehmood Alam � PK 62 (PPP), Sardar Shamoon Yar Khan � PK 45 (PML-N), Rahmat Ali Khan � PK 83 (ANP), Waqar Ahmed Khan � PK 82 (ANP), Tabassum Shams � (ANP), Uzma Khan (JUI-F), Mehr Sultana �( PML-N), Munawwar Khan � PK 76 (PML-N), Inayatullah Jadoon � PK 44 (PML-N), Malik Hayat Khan � PK 93 (Independent), Munawar Sultana � ANP, Syeda Batool � PK 68 (MMA), Dr. Yasmeen Jaseem � PK 31 (ANP), Nargis Samin � PPP(S), Javid Abbasi � PK 48 (PML-N), Habib ur Rehman Tanoli � PK 57 (Independent), Malik Badshah Saleh � PK 92 (PPPP), Taj Muhammad Khan Trand � PK 59 (Independent), Qalander Khan Lodhi � PK 46 (PML), Sajida Tabassum � (PPP), Zubaida Ihsan � ANP, Qalb-e-Hassan � PK 38 (Independent), Badshah Saleh � PK 92 (PPPP),Dr.Faiza Rasheed (PPPP)