ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif terming ‘Polio-free Pakistan’ a national goal urged citizens to cooperate with polio teams for complete eradication of crippling disease from country. “This is a testing time with resurgence of recent polio cases and related security incidents, but we can and will overcome it,” he said at launch of nationwide anti-polio drive.

Drive kicked off as prime minister administered drops of polio vaccine to children under five years of age here at Prime Minister’s House. He vowed to get country free from polio, which he said was affecting children in some areas. He regretted that polio was one of few countries in world where polio was still recognised as an endemic viral infection. He urged parents not to miss getting their children administered polio drops and support government’s goal to make Pakistan polio-free. He expressed Pakistan’s commitment to ending polio and emphasised role of government leaders, health workers and parents to ensure that disease never paralysed a child jointly.

He said by keeping up momentum and staying vigilant, Pakistan would be able to win challenge of polio eradication.

He called upon federal, provincial and district managements to address challenges of persistently missed children and also encourage people by raising awareness about gravity of situation.

He paid tribute to polio workers for relentlessly carrying out drive in far-flung areas despite challenges including resistance and refusals by some community members. Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah, Minister for Health Abdul Qadir Patel, Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb and representatives of Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation attended ceremony.

He thanked law enforcement agencies, especially Pakistan Army and police for their support to polio teams across Pakistan. He mentioned that several officers and polio workers sacrificed their lives in line of duty. Participants of meeting offered fateha for police constables and soldiers who were martyred in Tank.

Published in The Daily National Courier, August, 20 2022

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