MANSEHRA: Rotary International PolioPlus Chair Michael K McGovern on Thursday urged religious scholars and clerics to play the due role in freeing Pakistan from polio.

`India and Nigeria eliminated polio from their soil lately thanks to the effective role played by their religious leaders. You should also play an effective role to make your country polio-free,` he told ulema and clerics at a conference held here at the King Abdullah Teaching Hospital to sensitise them to polio.

Rotary Foundation country head Abdul Aziz Memon, dis-trict health officer Dr Shahzad Ali Khan, King Abdullah Teaching Hospital medical superintendent Dr Mohammad Javed Tanoli, religious scholar Maulana Wasiur Rehman and others also spolce on the occasion.

Mr. McGovern said the Americans, especially mothers, played an important role almost 50 years ago to protect their children from polio virus and their sincere efforts paid off.

`Now, the US children are free of any disabilities caused by polio virus,` he said.

The Rotary International PolioPlus chair said his organIsation had made its resources available for the eradication of pollo from the world, especially countries like Pakistan.He thanked clerics for supporting the children`s protection against polio.

The country head of Rotary Foundation said the people in 52 countries were administering anti-polio drops to their children without any reservations on religious grounds.

He said Pakistani ulema should play their due role in creating awareness among parents of the importance of anti-polio vaccine.

On the occasion, the Kath medical superintendent said polio workers had been reaching children in far-off areas for vaccination.

He lauded the role of the Rotary Foundation and other international agencies in fight against polio.The DHO said there were no vaccination refusal cases in Mansehra and therefore, the district had been poliofree for many years.

`Our health workers reach even inaccessible areas to administer anti-polio drops, he said.

Maulana Wasiur Rehman said ulema had played an important role in district when they approached parents opposed to vaccination of their children as they convinced them about the administration of anti-polio drops to children.

`There were hundreds of vaccination refusal cases in the district but the number dropped to zero after we carried out an awareness campaign,` he said.