Kakar hails international cooperation to eradicate polio
Caretaker PM all praise for Rotary International's services in polio eradication, education and in other fields.
ISLAMABAD: While Pakistan reported six new cases of wild poliovirus in the year 2023, the government has resolved to eradicate the crippling disease in the current year.
Last year, according to the WHO, there had been a large increase in environmental detections with 60 positive samples found from September to November, bringing the total in 2023 to 82. After a period of non-detection, new transmission is occurring in the Quetta Block in Balochistan, in Karachi in Sindh, Islamabad/Rawalpindi and in Peshawar in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province.
At a meeting with a delegation of the Rotary International in Islamabad today, caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar said the government was determined to make Pakistan a polio-free country.
The delegation was led by Rotary International President Stephanie A. Urchik.
The delegation told Mr Kakar that Rotary International had donated 800,000 books in Pakistan, out of which 200,000 books were distributed solely in Balochistan.
The delegation presented a gift of 10,000 more books to the prime minister to be distributed in different parts of the country.
Mr Kaka appreciated the services of Rotary International in polio eradication, education and other fields in the country. The role of international community and development organizations in eradication of polio in Pakistan was also acknowledged.
He said Rotary International would be provided all possible cooperation to increase outreach of its programmes in Pakistan. He congratulated Stephanie Urchik for becoming the first female president of the Rotary International.
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