Muhammad Usman
Punjab Health Minister Dr Yasmin Rashid reiterated the pledge to make Pakistan Polio-free during video-link meeting of the International Monitoring Board for Polio Eradication.
She joined the conference from the Primary and Secondary Healthcare Department here on Wednesday.
Secretary Primary and Secondary Healthcare Capt (Retd) Usman Younis, Secretary Health South Punjab Ajmal Bhatti, Coordinator Emergency Operation Center Ms. Sundas Irshad and Director Expanded Program on Immunization Dr. Bashir Ahmed were present on the occasion.
Key representatives from Pakistan joining via video link included Special Assistant to Prime Minister Dr. Faisal Sultan, Health Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Taimur Salim Jhagra, Health Minister Sindh Azra Afzal Pechuhu, Health Minister Rehmat Saleh Baloch, IMB’s Liam Donalson, provincial health secretaries, EOC Coordinators and Directors EPI from all provinces.
The Punjab health minister said: “We are committed to eradicate Polio from Pakistan under the leadership of Prime Minister Imran Khan. Bringing all stakeholders on a single platform is a great effort. We are holding Polio campaigns in the province in which all children under five will be administered Polio vaccine. All Public Sector Hospitals have been directed to issue Birth Registration only after ensuring immunization. The immunization is conducted as per SOPs of the WHO. We are determined to battle the second wave of Corona as well as eradicate Polio.”
Elaborating further, the minister said, “The government has hired record number of vaccinators in a short span of time and the hiring process has been completed on 50 per cent vacant positions. All vaccinators have been given PPEs. The Micro-Plans of Polio SIAs have been adopted for Routine Immunization. The EPI Program is being administratively monitored at nine divisions of Punjab. Our special focus is on Lahore and Dera Ghazi Khan and we are using latest gadgets, technology and data to cover each and every child in these two cities. Monitoring has been enhanced in all districts.”
Urging people to cooperate with Polio teams, the Minister said if efforts continued with enhanced commitment, Pakistan will be able to eradicate Polio very soon.
