Polio-free Pakistan is a national goal, says PM

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday chaired the National Task Force meeting for polio eradication and expressed the government's full commitment to taking practical measures for curbing wild poliovirus transmission in Pakistan.

The prime minister said the current weather conditions pose great challenges to vaccination campaigns, but it is remarkable to see polio teams have carrying on despite floods in several parts of Khyber-Pakhtunkwa (KP) and torrential rains in Karachi.

It is important to mention that the current polio campaign for Karachi and six districts of southern Khyber-Pakhtunkwa started on August 15, while the national polio vaccination drive in the rest of the country will commence on August 22.

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“This is a testing time, with recent cases and security incidents, but this is a challenge we can and will overcome. Countries with far more complex challenges have eradicated polio and I see no reason why Pakistan cannot curb transmission,” the prime minister said, adding that all provincial governments must ensure they have the best people in the most challenging areas.

"I thank all law enforcement agencies, especially Pakistan Army and the police for their support to polio teams across Pakistan. Many officers and polio workers have sacrificed their lives in the line of duty," he added.

The premier also thanked international donors and partners, especially the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, who have been consistently helping Pakistan to curb the spread of poliovirus in Pakistan.

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Soon after the first wild polio case of the year was reported in April, the prime minister chaired an emergency meeting of deputy commissioners of all high-risk areas to discuss and address the challenges on the ground.