July 05, 2015
News
Religious leaders to play role in polio eradication
QUETTA: Influential religious clerics and prayer leaders of Quetta have assured to play their role in persuading parents to administer anti-polio drops to their children in order to eradicate poliovirus.
The religious clerics assured the Balochistan Emergency Operation Centre (EOC) that they would help polio workers in persuading the refusal families in their respective union councils.
A conference was held under the chair of Balochistan EOC Coordinator Dr Syed Saifur Rehman at Sikandar Jamili Auditorium of the Provincial Secretariat. Religious leaders of Quetta Maulana Anwarul Haq Haqani, Dr Athaur Rehman, Maulana Abdul Raheem Raheemi, Qari Mateen, Malvi Azizullah, Qari Abdul Rahsid and the prayer leaders of mosques in high-risk union councils attended the conference and expressed their views.
UNICEF official Shapur Suleman briefed the participants about the high-risk areas and vulnerable children to crippling polio disease. EOC Coordinator Dr Syed Saifur Rehman said that the religious leaders would have to play their role in creating awareness among the masses regarding the polio disease. “People listen and follow religious clerics,” he said. “It is high time that religious leaders take the lead and fulfil their social responsibility as the future of our children is at stake,” he said.
The EOC coordinator said that the refusing parents were the main hurdle in eradicating poliovirus from Balochistan. The parents refuse because they do not have knowledge about Islam. He said many parents refuse to administer anti-polio drops in every campaign on religious ground with vague arguments. “The religious leaders should spread awareness during Friday sermons as a huge crowd is present there,” he said.
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk