ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif reiterated Pakistan’s dedication to eliminating polio, highlighting it as a critical national priority. He called on both international and domestic partners to enhance collaborative efforts to eradicate the disease completely.
The prime minister expressed these views during a meeting with a seven-member delegation from the Polio Oversight Board (POB). The delegation included prominent figures such as Mike McGovern, Chair of Rotary International’s Polio Oversight Board; Chris Elias, President of Global Development at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation; and Dr. Hanan Balkhy, WHO’s Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean. Representatives from UNICEF and Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, were also present.
Sharif emphasized the government’s commitment to safeguarding the health of Pakistan’s children by taking all necessary measures against this crippling disease. He extended gratitude to international partners for their ongoing financial and logistical support in this fight.
Notably, Pakistan and Afghanistan remain the only two countries worldwide where poliovirus is still endemic. In a significant development, the prime minister instructed health officials to adopt a focused and more effective strategy targeting Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, a region historically challenged by security issues and vaccine hesitancy, which has contributed to persistent polio cases.
The visiting delegation commended Islamabad’s recent initiatives, acknowledging the considerable progress made in vaccination coverage despite the complex regional environment.
Federal Minister for National Health Services Syed Mustafa Kamal and the Prime Minister’s Focal Person for Polio Eradication, Senator Ayesha Raza Farooq, also participated in the meeting, underscoring the government’s unified approach toward polio eradication.
