Government striving to make country polio-free: Gilani

Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani on Friday said the government would make sustained efforts to achieve the goal of making the country polio-free. "It is our national duty to play role in this regard as the future of our children rests on our efforts to give them a polio-free environment," the PM said addressing the launch of national anti-polio campaign, starting from December 19.
The PM launched the campaign by administering anti-polio vaccine to the children at the PM House. His Assistant on Polio Eradication Begum Shahnaz Wazir Ali accompanied him. The three-day campaign would cover 84 districts across the country through 40,000 teams, targeting over 19 million children. Gilani said it was the time to work together as a nation and build a future where polio could no more inflict the future of children.
He said the democratic government, in line with the ideals and global commitments of Shaheed Benazir Bhutto, was committed to eradicating polio from the country. "We will continue to make sustained efforts unless every child has been immunised against the risk of suffering from this deadly infection," he said. He said he was personally monitoring the polio eradication campaign and assured of his fullest support in meeting all challenges.
He urged all chief ministers, Governor Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Prime Minister Azad Jammu and Kashmir to keep this issue on top of their agenda and ensure their personal involvement in anti-polio campaigns. He called upon the parliamentarians, belonging to all political parties, to lead the anti-polio campaigns in their respective areas.
The PM said the country's children were hugely gifted in terms of talent and aptitude and warned that polio could hamper many children from realising their true potential. He regretted that unfortunately polio virus still threatened the society and expressed the belief that no threat could defeat a noble mission with strong political commitment behind it.
The PM mentioned that in the beginning of the current year, the federal government developed a National Emergency Action Plan in consultation with all provincial governments and with the support of international partners. He said the plan introduced innovative strategies to stop the rise in polio cases. A high-level meeting, which was attended by all Chief Ministers, Governor KP and Prime Minister AJK, approved this plan on January 14, he added.
Gilani said the plan focuses greater ownership, oversight and accountability at the federal, provincial, district and union council levels. He said it also worked out strategies to ensure access of anti-polio teams into the security endangered areas so that every eligible child was administered polio vaccine.
He mentioned special monitoring cells had been established at the Prime Minister's office and in offices of all Chief Ministers to monitor the initiative on regular basis and submit reports to the PM. He recalled his recent meeting with the Commonwealth Heads of States and Governments on Polio Eradication at Perth, Australia where he reiterated Pakistan's strongest commitment to fight polio to the end.
The PM said all eyes were now on Pakistan and stressed the need to redouble efforts as it was a question of standing in the comity of nations. He expressed the confidence that with the implementation of the plan, Pakistan would be able to contain the spread of polio-virus to meet the targets.
He urged the society at large to come forward and play its due role by creating awareness as well as ensuring that every eligible child was vaccinated. Gilani said the role of the parliamentarians, civil society and local notables to lead the initiative in their areas was of utmost importance for the success of anti-polio campaign.
He said media had a vital role to play in motivating the people and creating social acceptance for the campaign, adding that the people needed to be cleared of their doubts and misperceptions about polio. He said the Imams and religious scholars must educate the masses on the rights of the child and duties of parents towards their children as enshrined in the Holy Quran.
Gilani mentioned that Pakistan and Afghanistan remained the last two polio affected Muslim nations on the globe with countries like Saudi Arabia, Indonesia and Egypt having eradicated the disease over a decade ago. Senator Sughra Imam and MNA Asma Arbab Alamgir were also present.