MANSEHRA: The district administration has finalised a plan for the vaccinators` security during the anti-polio campaign slated to begin in the district in Feb 24.

The plan comes in the light of a polio worker`s killing during the last vaccination campaign in Oghi area of the district last month.

Deputy Commissioner Zulfiqar Shah, who chaired a meeting in this respect on Thursday, said policemen would accompany vaccination teams.

He said the administration would ensure vaccination of all targeted children against polio in the next campaign.

The deputy commissioner said negligence of vaccinators won`t be tolerated and such people would be dealt with strictly. He said volunteers had been stopped from accompanying vaccination teams for security reasons.

District Police Officer Khurram Rashid, who was also in attendance, said police would protect mobile vaccination teams in the district irrespective of high-risk or low-risk areas.

He said more than 700 policemen would directly safeguard anti-polio teams and the number would be increased after the campaign got underway.

Mr Rashid said the deputy superintendent of police and the station house officers would monitor vaccination teams in their respective areas.

District Health Officer Saifullah Khalid told participants that anti-polio campaign won`t take place in seven snowbound union councils of Kaghan valley.

He said Kaghan, Mahandri, Hungrai, Kawai, Satbani, Hilkot and Chaterplan union councils, where polio teams couldn`t reach due to heavy snowfall, would be covered through a special anti-polio campaign once the access to them were restored.

The DHO said 862 anti-polio teams, including 768 mobile, 83 fixed and 30 transit, were tasked with administering anti-polio drops to 273,466 children aged five years and below.

MS of King Abdullah Teaching Hospital Dr Niaz Mohammad was also present in the meeting.

ROBBER ARRESTED: Police on Thursday arrested a robber for looting Rs70,000 cash at a CNG station in Mansehra. However, his aide was at large.

Police said two gunmen held the Cantt CNG station`s staff hostage and stuffed Rs70,000 in a bag.

However, a guard overpowered one gunman, Mazharul Haq, prompting the other, Mohammad Saleem, to flee with cash.