ISLAMABAD, Nov 27: State Minister for Health Services Ms Saira Afzal Tarar on Wednesday admitted that a large number of children could not be vaccinated in the three-day campaign against polio.

The three-day polio campaign ended on Wednesday, and Thursday has been declared as catch-up day in which the left out children would be vaccinated.

Addressing the meeting of technical advisory group (TAG) on poliomyelitis eradication the minister said that a large number of childrencould not be accessed.

`Polio cases are being reported because all children who need vaccination could not be reached are being reached. A large number of children are missed due to inaccessibility in view of peculiar security situation in Fata and KP. We made in 2012 in arresting the poliovirus in four identified zones of Pakistan will be at risk if we lose the pace of efforts, the minister said.

`A slight negligence in this fight will not only derail the entire struggle but also give an extra lease of lifeto the poliovirus to infect more children,` she said.

She said: `An independent assessment of our plans is absolutely essential so we are confident that we are moving in the right direction and taking a course that will lead to the ultimate goal of eradicating polio from our country.

She said that the Prime Minister was concerned about the continued transmission of polio virus in the country and was personally monitoring the initiative. The country`s highest leadership was fully engaged and committedto stopping polio transmission.

The Minister said that they had to move and move with a sense of urgency to meet targets. From the prime minister to the governors and chief ministers of all provinces, there was absolute commitment to this cause and now all eyes were on those implementing this initiative.

It is pertinent to mention that there are 34 million children under five of age in Pakistan but 260,000 children in the North and South Waziristan have not been vaccinated against polio since July 2012.