Zubair Qureshi
Ambassador of Japan Matsuda Kuninori is all praise for the health workers taking part in polio vaccination drive launched on July 20 and taking place after a four-month suspension due to Covid-19.
In a message the ambassador expressed his satisfaction at resumption of polio vaccination campaign in Pakistan saying it is quite encouraging to see the drive back after a 4-month suspension due to the Covid-19 outbreak.
As a total of 58 polio cases have been reported in Pakistan as in the current year, Japan welcomes Pakistan’s initiative to eradicate polio in Pakistan including the first round of the resumed campaign which will cover Faisalabad, Attock, South Waziristan, Karachi and Quetta, with a target of vaccinating about 800,000 children under the age of five.
Since 1996, Japan has been supporting Pakistan’s efforts to eradicate polio, with a cumulative total of $229 million.
According to a press release issued by the embassy, Japan’s assistance has been used for vaccines, cooling equipment for vaccines, vaccinators’ daily allowance, educational activities, virus inspection equipment to prevent the spread of polio infection in Pakistan.
Ambassador Matsuda said, “I sincerely hope that the first round of the resumed vaccination campaign will be successful and the subsequent campaign in the second half of this year will be implemented as planned.
I would like to salute health staff engaged in the campaign under challenging circumstances such as Covid-19 and security threat, said the ambassador in a message.
