ISLAMABAD: Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar ul Haq Kakar on Tuesday said polio prevention is a national goal and measures are being taken to get every child polio-vaccinated.
According to the Prime Minister’s Office, addressing an event organised on the occasion of World Anti-Polio Day, he said that effective measures are being taken for anti-polio and maternal and child treatment together with the partners.
He further stated that the services of Bill and Melinda Gates cannot be forgotten in this regard and the obstacles in the way of anti-polio will not be allowed to stand in their way.
He said that the anti-polio campaign was started in Pakistan in 1988 when it was in 125 countries of the world. Today, polio has been eradicated from 99 per cent of the world but Pakistan and Afghanistan are two such countries where cases of polio are emerging.
Kakar added that Pakistan has taken strong measures to eradicate polio and efforts are being made to improve food supply, better treatment facilities and sanitation in the areas where polio cases are reported.
The caretaker premier said that Pakistan’s polio programme is very effective and thanks to this programme in the country there has been success in saving children from the polio virus.
He added that for this purpose, the services
and sacrifices of polio health workers and security personnel are commendable
He said that since 2011, many of Pakistan’s polio workers have made sacrifices during the efforts to eradicate polio from the country for the protection of future generations. Many polio workers were also injured during the polio campaign and we express our complete solidarity with their families for achieving this important national goal, Kakar added.
He said that everyone has to realise that there is a huge responsibility in 2024 for the complete eradication of polio in the world and for this purpose and have to take all kinds of measures to stop the spread of polio.
As far as possible, to eradicate polio, it is necessary to ensure the supply of the vaccine to every child.
He said that healthy life is the right of every child, like children of other countries of the world, the children of Pakistan and Afghanistan also have the right to a healthy life.
The Prime Minister’s Office added that the representative of the World Health Organization, Dr Pletha Mahipala, said that the government’s determination to eradicate polio is commendable, the way the government is taking steps, it is hoped that polio will be eradicated from Pakistan soon, the role of polio workers in the fight against polio cannot be forgotten.
Yes, the World Health Organization has been providing support to Pakistan in the health sector for decades. Representatives of Rotary International and the UNICEF also addressed the event.
At the end of the ceremony, the prime minister also distributed certificates of appreciation to the relatives of the members of the polio teams who were martyred during the anti-polio campaign and the injured.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2023
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