Kathmandu, March 1: Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Information and Communications Ram Chandra Poudel inaugurated a joint WHO-UNICEF meeting of Health Secretaries of polio-endemic SAARC and border countries on Cross-Border management of Poliomyelitis Eradication at a function here this morning. In the context of global initiative to eradicate poliomyelitis by the end of the year 2000, with certification by 2005, the meet of Health Secretaries of SAARC and border countries has been regarded as a notable event.

Speaking on the occasion, Deputy Prime Minister Poudel said that the global effort to eradicate polio would not be possible until all countries join hands and unite against the disease. Stressing on the need of concentrating on rural areas for the complete eradication of polio where a large number of the populace still suffer from the lack of knowledge and means, the Deputy Prime Minister said that due to massive migration in bordering areas of Nepal, the task of elimination of the disease is still onerous.

Member of the National Planning Commission Dr. Nirmal Prasad Pandey highlighted on the need of adopting clear strategies to eliminate polio and emphasized on the need of controlling cross-border migration.

Secretary of the Ministry of Health Shree Kant Regmi said that in the past few years, the polio eradication campaign has seen extraordinary acceleration, especially in the countries of South Asia, that have demonstrated remarkable commitment to intensified immunisation and to improved surveillance. “Nepal joined in this initiative with the introduction, in 1996, of yearly national immunisation days (NIDs); since then we have successfully conducted NIDs for 4 consecutive years”, he said.

SAARC Secretary General Nihal Rodrigo said that SAARC ever since its inception has been giving high priority to the protection and promotion of  child welfare. “The technical committees concerned with health and children’s issues have designated common dates for region-wide campaigns against polio which are proceeding successfully”, he said.

Delivering the welcome speech, Regional Director of UNICEF regional office in South Asia Nigel Fisher stressed on the need of the commitment of people from all walks of life, “because the capacity to reach the most improverished or isolated children must be matched by parental awareness of, and demand for, immunisation”.

“The past decade has witnessed significant achievements in several regions of the world resulting through widespread mobilisation of society to eradicate polio”, he said.

Dr. Samlee Plianbangchang, Deputy Regional Director of WHO Southeast Asia regional office also spoke on the occasion.

It has been disclosed that Nepal reported 34 cases of polio during 1999 compared to India with 2,645 cases, Bangladesh with 335 cases and Pakistan with 466 cases in the SAARC region.