Speakers at polio seminar have stressed the need for devising a tangible policy for eradication of polio from the country and said that Ulema and rulers should play their due role for creation of awareness to make the country polio free by end of this year.
The seminar titled "Let us be together for polio free Pakistan," held under the auspices of National Research Development Foundation (NRDF), anti-polio religious caucus, in collaboration with Unicef at Peshawar Press Club (PPC) on Saturday. Former Chief JI, Qazi Hussain Ahmad was the chief guest on the occasion.
Addressing the seminar, JI former chief, Qazi Hussain Ahmad said that the polio eradication is a national obligation. He urged the government to take concrete steps for elimination of all deadly diseases, including Polio from the country. He observed that a large number of people have died while suffering from different kinds of diseases owing to lack of proper health facilities.
He noted that it is difficult for the poverty-stricken people to get treatment in private hospitals, but the facilities in public-sector teaching hospital are pathetic. He said that a large number of people died from malaria, polio, HIV/AIDs, tuberculosis, and other fatal disease because of poor financial status. He stressed the need for chalking out concrete strategy on all viral diseases, including polio, dengue, etc.
Qazi Hussain expressed it is a matter of grave concern that Pakistan is amongst four polio endemic countries in the world where the number of polio cases is increasing with every passing day. The latest figure put the number of polio patients at 131 in the country, in which Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Fata are more prevalent with 11 and 37 respectively. He said that the inaccessibility in turbulent tribal areas is a big challenge and asked parents to co-operate with the polio vaccination teams.
WHO representative, Dr Obaidul Islam said that they are going to mark October 24 as polio day. He said that the refusal to administer the drops and missing children during the campaign are major factors behind the growing number of cases. He added that the inaccessibility issue to volatile region is creating hurdles in anti-polio initiatives.
Dr Adil Jameel from Unicef said that the polio eradication campaign has no political motive, the basic purpose is to safe children from lifetime disability and provide them radiant future. He termed polio eradication panacea to all issues confronting the country in the health sector.
Dr Iqbal Khalil, provincial head Al-Khimat foundation urged he parents to give polio drops to their children and safe their future. He dispelled negative propaganda against polio vaccine. He said the Islam has not put any restriction on it. Others speakers, also, stressed the need of role of Ulema and rulers for eradication of polio from the country. Later, Qazi Hussain Ahmad administered polio drops to children and kicked off Anti-polio drive, which would start from October 24 (Monday), in the province.