Meeting Held To Assess Polio Eradication Efforts

Meeting held to assess polio eradication efforts

A high level meeting on polio eradication was held here on Tuesday to assess the remaining challenges and opportunities to eradicate the disease from the country

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 22nd Oct, 2019 ) :A high level meeting on polio eradication was held here on Tuesday to assess the remaining challenges and opportunities to eradicate the disease from the country.

Chairing the meeting at Polio Emergency Operation Cell, Special Assistant to Prime Minister on National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination Dr Zafar Mirza assured government's utmost commitment to make Pakistan polio-free.

He said that the government would address all challenges including, most notably, community resistance to vaccination, low levels of essential immunization coverage, as well as sub-optimal accountability and performance management at the district level.

Dr Mirza said "The government is fully committed to eradicate polio. Despite the identified challenges, we have not lost our resolve to end polio." He said "We remain committed to turn around this situation as soon as possible and secure a polio-free country, and a polio-free world." He mentioned that the Prime Minister of Pakistan was leading polio eradication efforts in the country and efforts were underway to ensure that the gravity of the current polio situation was communicated and stressed upon at all levels of government bureaucracy across the country.

Dr Mirza highlighted the importance of strengthening synergies between the polio eradication programme and the Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) as well as other programmes delivering integrated services such as the Ehsaas programme, so communities that are vulnerable for polio also receive other critical interventions that will improve their lives.

Appreciating the efforts of polio front line workers despite the existing challenges, he expressed his gratitude to all international partners and donors for standing with Pakistan through the crucial phase in Pakistan's efforts to eradicate polio.

Canadian High Commissioner, Country Head UNICEF, Deputy Director Bill Gates Foundation and representatives of Rotary and technical staff attended the meeting and discussed the ongoing efforts to eradicate polio in Pakistan.