LAHORE: Chief Minister Punjab Focal Person for Polio, Uzma Kardar, inaugurated the national anti-polio campaign by administering polio drops to children in Sialkot.
The campaign, which aims to protect children under the age of five from the debilitating disease, will run from February 3 to February 9, 2025.
During the launch event, Chief Minister Kardar led a door-to-door polio vaccination drive in Sialkot, where she was warmly welcomed by local residents. She also chaired a meeting and addressed the media alongside the Deputy Commissioner of Sialkot, emphasizing the importance of the campaign.
Kardar highlighted that frontline polio workers will visit households across the province to ensure every child under five receives the polio vaccine. She assured that security personnel have been deployed to safeguard polio workers, praising the police for their commendable role in supporting the campaign.
“Pakistan remains one of only two countries in the world where the polio virus is still endemic,” Kardar stated. “The first case of 2025 was reported in Dera Ismail Khan District of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, underscoring the urgent need for continued efforts to eradicate this disease.”
The Chief Minister warned that strict legal action would be taken against anyone who threatens or obstructs polio teams. She described polio workers as “protectors of children’s futures” and urged parents to cooperate with them, emphasizing that the polio vaccine is safe, effective, and free of cost. She also noted that repeated doses of the vaccine are crucial for strengthening a child’s immunity.
“Every individual must play their part in making Pakistan polio-free,” Kardar said. “The Punjab government is fully committed to eradicating polio and protecting every child from this deadly disease.”
The National Anti-Polio Campaign is a critical step in Pakistan’s ongoing efforts to eliminate polio, with Punjab taking a leading role in ensuring the success of this vital initiative.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
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