PM calls for collective efforts for polio eradication

After the confirmation of the third case of polio this year, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif chaired an emergency meeting of the National Task Force for Polio Eradication on Wednesday, wherein he called for collective efforts to eradicate the virus from the country.

A detailed briefing on the country’s anti-polio strategy was given at the meeting.

The prime minister said that the recent surge in polio cases was a matter of concern.

He said that while all stakeholders, including federal agencies, provincial governments, and international organisations, have worked hard and rendered invaluable services for polio eradication, the challenge still exists and “we need to work together to eradicate it”.

On behalf of the federal government, he assured all possible assistance for elimination of the virus from the country.

During the meeting, the federal government thanked international organisations, including World Health Organisation (WHO) and Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, for their technical and financial support for Pakistan’s anti-polio campaign.

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The meeting noted that three polio cases were reported from North Waziristan in April and May this year while no polio case was reported from February 2021 to March 2022. It also noted that 25 districts of Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) were at high risk of spread of polio.

Prime Minister Shehbaz also directed the provincial governments to pay full attention to the anti-polio drive.

The meeting was attended by Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb, Health Minister Abdul Qadir Patel, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, Punjab Chief Minister Hamza Shehbaz (video-link), Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Prime Minister Sardar Tanveer Ilyas, Balochistan Health Minister Ehsan Shah, provincial chief secretaries and representatives of international institutions.

Following the meeting, Marriyum also took to Twitter to share some details of the meeting. She said that the premier told the meeting that all loopholes must be plugged with unity of thought and action, grit and commitment to eradicate polio from the country.