Pakistan Will Soon Become Polio-free: President Rotary Int'l

President of Rotary International (RI) Jennifer Jones on Monday expressed hope that Pakistan would soon achieve the status of a polio-free country

KARACHI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 1st Aug, 2022 ) :President of Rotary International (RI) Jennifer Jones on Monday expressed hope that Pakistan would soon achieve the status of a polio-free country.

Jennifer, the fist woman to become president of Rotary International, is on a week-long tour to Pakistan. Addressing a press briefing at a hotel here, she thanked the Pakistani government, the media and the civil society for supporting the Eradication of Polio programme, and hoped that the country would soon become Polio-free.

She urged the media to play its role in creating awareness on routine immunization which could help eradicating the virus in Pakistan.

Jennifer said that Rotary International had significantly contributed towards eradication of polio from the world.The organisation's PolioPlus investment in Pakistan for polio eradication was US$ 353.8 million, and overall its global contribution had been around US$ 2.5 billion, she added.

She said that the organisation was committed to continue contributing until the world became polio free.

The RI president said that the organisation had rendered valuable services in Pakistan, adding that it was time to start, with a new commitment, new welfare projects in the country from the platform of RI.

Jennifer said that RI members believed in a shared responsibility to take action on the most persistent issues around the world. The organisation was constantly trying to improve people's lifestyle and economic situation through welfare projects, she mentioned.

The organisation was working in more than 200 countries of the world and its 1.4 million members were constantly striving to improve the lives of their communities and country folks, she said.

Jennifer said, "We provide service to others, promote integrity, and advance world understanding, goodwill, and peace through our fellowship of business, professional, and community leaders.

" The organisation, she said, was dedicated to causes that built international relationships, improved lives, and created a better world, adding that Rotarians all over the world were involved in projects in the seven areas of focus, including peace building and conflict prevention, disease prevention and treatment, water, sanitation, and hygiene, maternal and child health, basic education and literacy, community, economic development and environmental sustainability, and climate change.

Appreciating its noteworthy services during natural disasters in Pakistan, she said that the organisation had always stepped forward and played an active role in relief and rehabilitation operations.

Jennifer said that "Rotary Jo Goth" was the best project for the rehabilitation of the earthquake victims in Pakistan, under which 160 houses along with a sustainable infrastructure were built and given to the underprivileged and homeless victims with ownership rights.

She also appreciated the organisation's role towards total literacy and quality education where almost each of the 500 clubs in Pakistan were working to eliminate illiteracy from Pakistan.

The RI president was also appreciative of the 2,500 congenital heart surgeries jointly undertaken for children in Pakistan and India. There was a need for many more such humanitarian projects, she said.

Jennifer said that RI should continue its support on welfare projects. The project of artificial limbs under the organisation was also performing significant services in Pakistan. Under the project, disabled people were enabled to play an active role in the society, she mentioned.

Director of Rotary International Mohammad Faiz Kidwai, Trustee of Rotary Foundation Aziz Memon and other notables were also present on this occasion.