Lahore, May 9, 2024 – Dr. Malik Mukhtar Ahmed Bharath, Coordinator to the Prime Minister on National Health Services, attended a consultative workshop in Lahore today. The two-day session, organized by the Pakistan Polio Programme, brought together Deputy Commissioners (DCs), Assistant Deputy Commissioners (ADCs), and District Health Officers (DHOs) from 14 core reservoir districts across Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK), and Sindh.

Addressing the gathering, Dr. Malik Mukhtar Ahmed Bharath, Coordinator to the Prime Minister on Health, underscored the pivotal role of district management in polio eradication endeavors within their respective jurisdictions. Emphasizing their proactive involvement and unwavering commitment to every polio campaign, he stressed its indispensability in mobilizing resources, coordinating with stakeholders, and ensuring effective campaign implementation.

"The districts lagging behind in government accountability percentages regarding polio teams must enhance their performance," urged the coordinator.

In his remarks, he mentioned, "Pakistan has worked hard to defeat polio, and today, we are closer to success than ever before. While fewer children are being affected by the virus, and vaccination rates are high in many districts, challenges persist in high-risk areas where poliovirus continues to circulate, posing a threat to children's health. Effective supervision, meticulous campaign planning, implementation, and monitoring shall be an essential component of our strategy to reach every child with the polio vaccine.”

Participants pledged to uphold their commitment to the cause, recognizing the gravity of the challenge and the importance of concerted efforts to achieve the shared goal of polio eradication.

Senior leadership of the Polio Eradication Programme were present at the workshop to provide valuable insights into the challenges and underscore the support required from local district authorities.

Note:

Polio is a highly infectious disease caused by poliovirus mainly affecting children under the age of five years. It invades the nervous system and can cause paralysis or even death. While there is no cure for polio, vaccination is the most effective way to protect children from this crippling disease. Each time a child under the age of five is vaccinated, their protection against the virus is increased. Repeated immunisations have protected millions of children from polio, allowing almost all countries in the world to become polio-free, except for the two endemic countries of Pakistan and Afghanistan.

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