Islamabad, May 26, 2016:  Senator Ayesha Raza Farooq, Prime Minister's Focal Person on Polio Eradication urged the members of the Pakistan Girl Guides Association to join the ranks with Pakistan Polio team to give a final push to poliovirus.

Prime Minister's Focal Person appreciated the motivation of the Pakistan Girl Guides Association, this she said while welcoming the delegation of PGGA who visited National Emergency Operations Centre on Thursday.

Dr. Rana Muhamamd Safdar briefed the members on the mode of transmission of polio virus and repercussions of not being polio free.  Stressing on the importance of the Immunization, Dr. Safdar Rana apprised the participants that vaccination is the top Public Health achievement of the 20th Century. Giving the global context of the immunization, he mentioned that about 30 Million children still do not have access to basic immunization services and almost 3 million die each year from Vaccine Preventable Diseases.

"Before launch of eradication efforts, Polio used to infect 350,000 children globally every year", said Dr. Rana Muhammad Safdar in his presentation. He further highlighted that reaching and vaccinating every child in each round is the only way to win this war against the virus and vaccinating child multiple times adds to his/her immunity and also protects children around.

Earlier, delegation was briefed on the salient features of the Expanded Program on Immunization by Dr. Arshad Chandio, Deputy Program Manager, EPI. Dr. Chandio apprised the participants on the scope of the EPI program and cost effectives of immunization services in saving lives of children. Pakistan Girl Guides Association members visited Ware Houses of Federal EPI to witness vaccine storage and maintenance of cold chain mechanism.

Public Relations Officer of Pakistan Girls Guides Association Syeda Khawar thanked Prime Minister's Focal Person on Polio and officials for giving them an enlightening presentations and briefings on Polio Eradication and Routine Immunization.  She assured that the trainers of Girl Guides will take the message to all team members of the Association to support the cause of Polio Eradication and strengthening Routine Immunization in the country.

Today a delegation of Pakistan Girl Guides Association comprising trainers from across the country briefed on the scale of efforts for Polio Eradication and Routine Immunization in the country. The Delegation visited Federal Expanded Program on Immunization and National Emergency Operations Centre and witnessed state of the art vaccine storage mechanism of the country.