- COAS, premier kick off nationwide anti-polio campaign by administering vaccine to children
RAWALPINDI: Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa on Friday administered polio drops to children as nation-wide anti-polio campaign was launched amid more than dozen cases reported in the country since May.
COAS Qamar Javed Bajwa visited National Emergency Operations Centre and administered polio drops to children to encourage parents nationwide to join the campaign against the crippling disease.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also launched the nationwide anti-polio vaccination drive with an aim to eradicate the crippling disease from the country.
According to details, PM Shehbaz Sharif kicked off the anti-polio drive by administrating drops of polio vaccine to children under five years of age at Prime Minister’s House.
Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah, Federal Minister for Health Abdul Qadir Patel, Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb and representatives of Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation attended the ceremony.
Speaking on the occasion, the premier vowed to get the country free from polio, which he said was affecting the children in some areas.
He urged the parents not to miss getting their children administered the polio drops and support the government’s goal to make Pakistan polio-free.
The prime minister expressed Pakistan’s commitment to ending polio and emphasised the role of the government leaders, health workers, and parents to ensure that the disease never paralyzed a child jointly.
PM Shehbaz Sharif called upon the federal, provincial and district managements to address the challenges of persistently missed children and also encourage the people by raising awareness about the gravity of the situation.
He regretted that polio was one of the few countries in the world where polio was still recognized as an endemic viral infection. He urged the parents not to miss getting their children administered the polio drops and support the government’s goal to make Pakistan polio-free.
He said by keeping up the momentum and staying vigilant, Pakistan would be able to win the challenge of polio eradication.
He paid tribute to the polio workers for relentlessly carrying out the drive in far-flung areas despite the challenges including resistance and refusals by some community members.
