The Ministry for National Health Services, Regulation and Coordination, on Monday announced a significant decline in the number of polio cases in Pakistan, revealing that a second anti-polio campaign will take place from April 13 to 19.
Ayesha Raza Farooq, the Prime Minister’s Focal Person for Polio, along with Polio Coordinator Captain (R) Anwarul Haq, met with the Federal Minister for Health, Syed Mustafa Kamal, to discuss the forthcoming polio eradication campaign.
The Ministry stated that over 45 million children across Pakistan are set to receive polio drops during this upcoming campaign.
Additionally, the Ministry has observed that positive outcomes from ongoing efforts to combat polio are beginning to surface.
During the briefing, the Minister was informed that 6 out of 12 sites in Karachi reported negative results for polio, with several locations, including Keamari, also declared free of the virus.
In discussions regarding polio cases in Balochistan Province, the Minister was updated that all 7 sites in the Quetta block are free of the polio virus, with results from 5 out of 6 sites in Ahour also negative.
Mustafa Kamal emphasized the importance of effective measures to eradicate polio in Pakistan, asserting that the country will soon be polio-free through a coordinated strategy and public cooperation.
He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to eliminating polio from Pakistan and urged parents to fully support polio workers.
PM vows to eradicate polio from Pakistan
In January, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to completely eliminate polio under the continued support of global partners such as the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
While addressing a meeting with an elite delegation of the Gates Foundation, the PM reiterated the country’s dedication to the fight against the deadly virus.
Read more: PM Shehbaz Sharif vows to eradicate polio from Pakistan
