ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday launched a special anti-polio campaign, aimed at eradicating the disease from the country. The week-long drive will commence tomorrow to vaccinate 30 million children under the age of five across 115 districts nationwide.
The campaign will deploy approximately 286,000 polio workers who will conduct door-to-door visits to administer polio drops. This extensive drive is part of Pakistan’s ongoing efforts to combat polio, a disease that has plagued the country despite substantial progress in eradication campaigns.
At the launch ceremony held in Islamabad, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed gratitude to international partners and organizations supporting Pakistan’s polio eradication efforts. He said that the campaign is crucial for the complete eradication of the disease from Pakistan.
“We are hopeful that with the combined efforts of the federal government, provincial administrations, and our international partners, we will succeed in eradicating polio from Pakistan,” said Shehbaz Sharif.
He highlighted the dedication and hard work of federal and provincial officials, polio workers, and security personnel in the ongoing battle against the poliovirus.
The Prime Minister underscored the importance of parental cooperation in the campaign, urging all parents to ensure that their children receive the polio drops. He stressed that these vaccines are essential for protecting children from the lifelong disabilities caused by polio.
During the ceremony, Prime Minister Sharif also administered polio drops to several children.
