WHO asked to announce 15-day certificate exemption for Pakistani travellers
Minister says polio vaccination certificates will be free of charge; government will devise strategy in 15 days
Express News screen grab of Tarar from the press conference.
ISLAMABAD:
The government requested the World Health Organisation (WHO) to announce that Pakistani travellers should not be asked for polio vaccination certificates for the next 15 days, , Express News reported.
Speaking to the media on Wednesday, Minister of State for National Health Services, Regulation and Coordination Saira Afzal Tarar said that WHO had been asked to give the government 15 days to devise a clear strategy on the matter.
The WHO on Monday recommended that travel restrictions be placed on Pakistan, Cameroon and Syria for being the only three countries that are currently exporting wild poliovirus. Tarar dismissed the development and the requirement for certificates as "no big deal" and said that there are no travel restrictions on Pakistanis.
The government is working towards clearing the prevalent confusion regarding travel restrictions, said Tarar, who was speaking after a key meeting with all provincial health ministers and representatives of health departments.
“We just spoke with the WHO head, and have asked him to give us 15 days to devise a strategy,” Tarar said.
We also told him to announce internationally that for the next 15 days Pakistani passengers should not asked to present proof of vaccination, she added.
Clearing the confusion about people with foreign passports, she said: “People who intend to stay in Pakistan for over four weeks should be vaccinated.”
She also added that Pakistani citizens traveling abroad will be provided with polio vaccine certificates free of charge.
Tarar also took the opportunity to inform the media that the provincial governments are working towards providing security to polio workers, adding that polio vaccination centres will be set up in each province.
“Rs80 crore will be spent annually on polio vaccinations,” she added.
The government requested the World Health Organisation (WHO) to announce that Pakistani travellers should not be asked for polio vaccination certificates for the next 15 days, , Express News reported.
Speaking to the media on Wednesday, Minister of State for National Health Services, Regulation and Coordination Saira Afzal Tarar said that WHO had been asked to give the government 15 days to devise a clear strategy on the matter.
The WHO on Monday recommended that travel restrictions be placed on Pakistan, Cameroon and Syria for being the only three countries that are currently exporting wild poliovirus. Tarar dismissed the development and the requirement for certificates as "no big deal" and said that there are no travel restrictions on Pakistanis.
The government is working towards clearing the prevalent confusion regarding travel restrictions, said Tarar, who was speaking after a key meeting with all provincial health ministers and representatives of health departments.
“We just spoke with the WHO head, and have asked him to give us 15 days to devise a strategy,” Tarar said.
We also told him to announce internationally that for the next 15 days Pakistani passengers should not asked to present proof of vaccination, she added.
Clearing the confusion about people with foreign passports, she said: “People who intend to stay in Pakistan for over four weeks should be vaccinated.”
She also added that Pakistani citizens traveling abroad will be provided with polio vaccine certificates free of charge.
Tarar also took the opportunity to inform the media that the provincial governments are working towards providing security to polio workers, adding that polio vaccination centres will be set up in each province.
“Rs80 crore will be spent annually on polio vaccinations,” she added.