ISLAMABAD: During the ongoing polio immunization drive, Caretaker Federal Minister for Health Dr Nadeem Jan emphasized the importance for parents to ensure their children, under the age of five, receive vaccination as the third nationwide campaign successfully reached over 44.3 million kids across 159 districts.
He said that all the children deserved a healthy life and future. “We cannot allow a vaccine-preventable disease to continue to harm our children like this.”
Dr. Nadeem emphasized the shared responsibility of safeguarding children’s well-being, citing the collaborative efforts of communities, parents, religious leaders, and social organizations in nations that have successfully eradicated polio. He urged for a similar collective effort in Pakistan, urging communities to unite with the government in combatting polio.
Dr. Shahzad Baig, the Coordinator of the National Emergency Operations Centre for Polio Eradication, highlighted the decrease in polio cases but expressed concern over the presence of the virus in sewage samples from several major cities, suggesting pockets of unvaccinated populations. He emphasized the program’s ongoing review and adjustment of strategies and campaigns, aiming to identify and vaccinate these overlooked communities.
