Eradicating polio in Pakistan a personal mission: Zardari

President says Pakistan is facing multifaceted challenges in the fight against polio.

UNITED NATIONS: President Asif Ali Zardari told an audience at an event on polio eradication that Pakistan was working with tribal leaders and the religious clergy so that everyone realises that immunisation is a blessing.

Speaking at the UN event "Our Commitment to the Next Generation: The Legacy of a Polio Free World" on Thursday, which was attended by Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon, Microsoft founder Bill Gates, Aseefa Bhutto Zardari, President Karzai and other leaders, President Zardari said that it was his family's personal mission to end polio in the country.

"It is a personal mission for my family as Pakistan began its quest to end polio when my wife, the late Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, immunised our child Aseefa in the first national polio campaign in my country 18 years ago."

Zardari added that despite challenges Pakistan has had recent success in reaching more than 30,000 people in the troubled Tirah Valley for polio vaccination, an area where residents had not been vaccinated against polio and measles before. He said that Pakistan is doing its best to get the stakeholders on board on the matter of polio vaccination.

"I'm pleased with the recent success to reach more than 30,000 children in the Tirah valley in Khyber Agency, which had longremained inaccessible, with vaccines to prevent polio, measles and iphtheria," said the President.

Zardari said that the government has focused on the tribal areas which were previously "In tribal areas, we are working with tribal leaders and religious clerics so everyone understands immunisation is a blessing, and a shared responsibility."

Zardari informed the international community that eradicating polio is a national priority for Pakistan and with effective anti-polio campaign progress has been made to reduce polio cases.

"We are making real progress and polio cases over the last year are down by two-thirds in Pakistan," the President said.

President Zardari said the road to eradication has not been easy. Two years ago due to unprecedented floods and due to security issues, it was difficult for the government to reach every child in the Tribal Areas of Pakistan. Further, the immunisation program has been entangled in international politics.

"But we are now deploying innovative resources to address these challenges," he told the international community.

"We are doing our best to get all stakeholders to own polio eradication and I have instructed our defense and law enforcing agencies to cooperate," he said.

Pakistan, which recently expelled the Save the Children aid organisation and has seen both the UN and the Red Cross suspended their operations in parts of the country, still has a role for humanitarian agencies to help de-politicise polio and get all stakeholders onboard, Zardari said.

"Though we have very densely populated urban areas, in all major cities, we are mapping out every street corner and mobilising local leaders and engaging with parents to make sure campaigns are a success," the President explained.

Appreciating support from the international community Zardari said "my government is significantly increasing its financial and resource commitment to polio eradication through the National Emergency Action Plan in collaboration with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, WHO, UNICEF, JICA and Rotary International."

Presently four countries -- Pakistan, India, Afghanistan andNigeria are suffering from the cases of polio.

Meeting with Bill Gates

President Zardari attributed the success made so far against polio to the collaboration between the polio-affected countries and the international community.

Speaking to Bill Gates, the founder of technology giant Microsoft, Zaradari said there was an urgent need to capitalise on this unprecedented demonstration of global solidarity and shared sense of responsibility for achieving the goal polio free world.

Gates, who co-chairs the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, met with Zardari on the sidelines of 67th Session of United Nations General Assembly.

The President said, “Pakistan recognises the need for continued and concerted action for the elimination of polio from the country and was committed to work with the international community for complete eradication of this disease.”

The President said that Pakistan has made steady progress in eliminating the polio-virus since the first polio eradication campaign was launched in 1990 by former prime minister Benazir Bhutto.

Detailing the measures taken by the government to eradicate polio, Zardari outlined that Pakistan has launched the Augmented National Emergency Plan in January, 2012 for polio eradication.

Explaining the recent upsurge in polio cases, Zardari said that their efforts faced various challenges including the floods, security and management issues and the law enforcement operations. However, the President said that the government was committed to take all possible measures to ensure that polio eradication drives remain unaffected by these challenges and progress as per plans.

The President thanked Bill Gates for the valuable support provided by Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation in the cause for polio eradication and urged for initiating projects aimed at increasing and improving education across Pakistan.

The President also invited Bill Gates to invest in Information Technology sector of the country highlighting the great human resource potential especially the youth trained in the field of information technology and assured that the Government would provide all possible support to the Foundation.