Joint efforts needed to make Pakistan polio-free by year-end

Speakers at a function have urged the parents to immunise their children polio two drops to save their future and achieve the goal of polio free Pakistan by end of this year.
The function with theme "Lets join hand to make Polio Free Pakistan" held under the auspices of National Research and Development Foundation (NRDF), a Ulema forum formed for polio eradication campaign in the province, here at Peshawar Press Club (PPC) here on Monday.
The keynote speakers were included, the provincial naib Ameer Jamiate Ahle Hadith, Dr Mohammad Zakir Shah, former squash champion, Qamar Zaman, Director EPI cell, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Dr Janbaz Afridi, and Dr Abdul Qayyum, a representative of Unicef.
Speaking on the occasion, Dr Janbaz Afridi explained about three-day anti-polio drive in the province. He stressed the need of joint efforts for making polio free Pakistan by end of this year.
Dr Janbaz urged upon the parents to immunise their children two polio drops to support in making healthy and polio free Pakistan. Unfortunately, he said, the Pakistan is amongst the four polio suffering country, other countries is Afghanistan, India and Nigeria.
He said that Pakistan is more vulnerable regarding polio, saying that most of polio cases have been reported in the country as compared to other three polio suffered countries.
However, he said that there was no polio case reported in militancy hit Malakand division over the last 16 months. The inaccessibility and refusal is the major reasons behind the growing polio cases in FATA, he informed.
He highlighted the role of media for creation of awareness about the polio and asked the media to play their due role in this regard. Dr Mohammad Zakir Shah, said that the polio is fatal disease, but it is curable and preventable, which needs a joint efforts and full global commitment. He dispelled the misperceptions about polio vaccines.
He said that the two polio drops is essential to save future generation and urged the parents to immunise their children to prevent life-time disability and become a polio free nation by the end of this year.
Qamar Zaman also highlighted the significance of polio vaccination and stressed upon the parents to cooperate with polio team to prevent the diseases as soon as earliest.