Lahore, 09 June 2014--Members of the Team Pakistan in collaboration with Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) were last Friday administered the anti-polio drops to raise awareness about the country’s drive to implement the World Health Organization (WHO) temporary recommendations for international travel.
On 5 May 2014, WHO declared the international spread of wild poliovirus a Public Health Emergency of International Concern and issued a set of Temporary Recommendations under the IHR (2005) to address the emergency.
"The Pakistan cricket players had taken the two drops of the vaccine to help raise awareness about the menace of this debilitating disease on Pakistan and the entire world," said the Chairman Pakistan Cricket Board Mr. Najam Sethi.
“All members of the team have received the required certificate in order not to miss participation in the upcoming tournaments outside Pakistan”, added Mr Sethi.
“At such a critical time, I pay tribute to the Team Pakistani and the PCB for raising awareness about the devastating impact of the spread of the debilitating diseases from virus reservoirs to other areas in and outside Pakistan”, said UNICEF Punjab Officer In charge Dr. Tahir Manzoor.
“We wanted to reassure the community that the two drops of the oral polio vaccine is the most effective way to avoid spread of the virus”, said team skipper Misbahul Haq.
“I sincerely hope UNICEF and PCB work out joint initiatives in future for the betterment of children”, Mr Haq added.
Pakistan is one of the last three remaining strongholds of polio virus in the world. The number of polio cases reached 75 so far this year from 10 across the country.
“The two polio drops are essential to protect our children and other children in the world from polio”, said Dr Tahir.
For Further information:
PCB: Agha Akbar, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
UNICEF: Wasif Mahmood, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
About PCB:
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is the governing body for cricket in Pakistan. It is also responsible for the promotion and expansion of the game through its associate and affiliate members throughout the country. Its responsibilities include management of the game at the highest level and the organization of various domestic tournaments at national level.
The PCB also administers the system that provides the maintenance of discipline amongst the constituent members and by the constituent members overall cricketing bodies and individuals under their control.
The PCB also responsible to coordinate activities in respect of the game of cricket in all manners and ways, including the formulation of the laws of the game, its constituent members and other subordinate bodies and to organize national Tournaments and International matches within the country.
The selection and composition of cricket teams those represents Pakistan in cricket contests and tours, both within Pakistan and abroad, to acquire, construct, develop and maintain stadia, grounds and other properties are also the key responsibilities of PCB.
To standardize and control umpiring in cricket and ensure its maintenance at a high level throughout Pakistan is also in the scope of PCB.