The Executive Secretary, FCT Primary Health Care Board, Dr. Rilwanu Mohammed, says the board will soon commence polio immunisation in major motor parks in the territory.

According to him, the exercise will be carried out in conjunction with the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) in the FCT, who have already identified five motor parks for the pilot scheme.

Mohamed who disclosed this during the flag-off of the July immunisation plus days in Dakwa community in Bwari area council, on Saturday, said this was in furtherance of ongoing efforts to rid the territory of new polio cases by the end of December, 2013, adding that motor parks were crucial to the polio eradication campaigns as all reported cases of polio in the territory were from immigrants into the territory.

He explained that Dakwa, a border town with Niger State was chosen for this month's exercise because of the reported cases of non-compliance in the community even as he said the exercise was only taking place in Bwari to ensure that all children not captured in previous exercises would be immunised.

While commending the development partners in the fight against polio eradication for their support, he appealed to traditional and religious institutions for their support for the success of the exercise.

In his address,the vice chairman of the area council, Abubakar Matawalle, while noting that it is the responsibility of the area council to create awareness and sensitise the people on the importance of polio immunisation for their children, urged parents to bring out their children to avail them of the ongoing exercise.

On his part, the Sarki Dakwa, Alhaji Alhassan Musa, assured that he will do all within his power to mobilise people for the exercise to ensure that Dakwa is removed from the list of non-compliant communities.

In their separate remarks, the WHO representative, Dr William Komakech and the head of health department in the area council, assured parents that the vaccine is safe and urged them not to deny their children their right to good health by rejecting the vaccine.

LEADERSHIP reports that the exercise which commenced on Saturday, July 6 to end on Tuesday, July 9, is for children aged 0 to 59 months.