- PM Shehbaz lauds federal and provincial officials, polio workers, and security personnel for remaining steady in the fight against polio
- 30m kids under the age of five will be vaccinated against polio during the campaign to be continued from Sept 9 to 15
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday reaffirmed his commitment to making Pakistan polio-free, stating that with collective efforts, the disease will be completely eradicated and prevented from re-emerging in the future, ensuring a healthier future for the nation’s children.
Speaking at the ceremony after launching the 7-day polio eradication campaign, the prime minister stressed that a unified approach and collaborative efforts are crucial to successfully tackling the polio challenge and achieving a polio-free Pakistan.
He expressed optimism that the federal government, in collaboration with provincial governments and partners, will succeed in completely eradicating polio from the country.
“Our efforts to eliminate polio from Pakistan will certainly bear fruit, Insha’Allah,” said the prime minister.
The prime minister kicked of the anti-polio campaign to be carried out across 115 districts of the country, for immunization of 30 million children under the age of five against this debilitating disease.
From September 9 to 15, some 286,000 polio workers will go door-to-door to administer polio drops to the children.
At the ceremony, the prime minister extended a warm welcome to the attendees and expressed his appreciation for the outstanding collaboration and tireless efforts of federal and provincial government staff, foot soldiers, and security officers, who have worked together seamlessly to drive the polio eradication campaign forward.
The prime minister voiced his confidence that by working together with provincial chief ministers, chief secretaries, health ministers, and health secretaries, the government will successfully eliminate polio, paving the way for a polio-free future and eradicating this preventable disease in the years to come.
The prime minister assured that the polio eradication campaign is in capable hands, being led by expert teams, and expressed optimism that the federal government’s joint efforts with the provinces will ultimately lead to the disease’s eradication.
He further pledged that once polio is eliminated, the government will ensure it never returns, providing a safer future for generations to come.
He urged parents to ensure that their children under five receive the polio vaccine to protect them from lifelong disability.
On this occasion, the prime minister personally administered polio drops to children.
The ceremony was attended by Prime Minister’s Coordinator on Health Dr Mukhtar Bharath; Prime Minister’s Special Representative on Polio Eradication Ayesha Raza Farooq; representatives from the World Health Organization, UNICEF, the Gates Foundation, and the United Nations; along with other senior officials.
