ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday said eradicating polio remains his government’s top priority, pledging to eliminate the disease from the country in the near future.
Sharif made the remarks during a meeting with a delegation from the Partnership for a Lead-Free Future and UNICEF, which included Abdullah Fazil, director of the Secretariat for a Lead-Free Future, Pernille Ironside, UNICEF’s representative in Pakistan, Jenna Forsyth of Stanford University School of Medicine and Thomas Hir.
“The government is taking priority measures to safeguard the future of the nation’s children,” Sharif said, highlighting the developmental risks posed by lead exposure.
“The effects of lead can cause mental and physical developmental issues in children. Preventing this is a challenge, but we will take all possible measures.”
He stressed that the government, in collaboration with international partners, remains committed to mitigating the harmful effects of lead.
The delegation thanked the prime minister and briefed him on findings from their recent survey in Pakistan.
“The steps taken under your leadership to protect children from polio and other deadly diseases are commendable,” they said, expressing satisfaction at the country’s efforts to prevent disease and safeguard child development.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026
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