ISLAMABAD: Health authorities of Pakistan and Afghanistan discussed ways to eradicate polio from their countries during a meeting held in Kabul on March 9 and agreed to extend the target age group for border crossing population from five years to 10 years at all vaccination posts, particularly those located at the Friendship Gate on the Qilla Abdulla-Kandahar border and Torkham at the Khyber Agency-Nangarhar border.

Details of the meeting were submitted in a report to the Prime Minister`s National Health Complex on Friday by the Pakistani delegation.

The officials of the two countries also agreed totake measures to enhance quality of polio eradication campaigns in border areas and among people on the move, since they are at the highest risk of catching and transmitting poliovirus.

According to a statement, the Pakistani delegation was led by the National Coordinator of the Polio Emergency Operation Centre (EOC) Dr Rana Muhammad Safdar while the Afghan delegation was headed by the Director General of Ministry of Public Health.

`Key objectives of the meeting were to review the current situation of polio eradication programmes in both countries.

Talking to Dawn, Dr Safdar said there was a clear realisation on both sides that the issue had to be seriously tackled.