Polio workers hailed as heroes on international day

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar on Tuesday stressed the need for more coordinated efforts to eliminate polio from Pakistan. He said 99 percent of the world has become polio free with the exception of Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Kakar was speaking at a ceremony held on the World Polio Day in Islamabad. He said our health workers are rendering commendable services in eliminating the virus. 

He commended and appreciated the polio workers and security personnel for their efforts and sacrifices in making Pakistan free of this disease. He said it was important to vaccinate every child before the poliovirus gets a chance to permanently change his life.

He said children of Pakistan and Afghanistan deserve a healthy childhood, where they can play and roam freely, like every child in the world.

Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar also commended and appreciated the polio workers and security personnel for their efforts and sacrifices in making Pakistan free of this disease.

He also recognized the services of three police constables who were martyred while on polio duty and to two vaccinators who were injured.

He presented appreciation shields to the former coordinator of the Sindh Emergency Operation Cell (EOC) Fayyaz Abbasi and the family of Huma Ashraf, who was severely injured in a train accident while on polio duty in September.

Caretaker Health Minister Nadeem Jan, in his address, paid homage to the polio workers who were striving to accomplish the mission of a polio-free Pakistan while facing many odds and hardships.

He emphasized that the community health workers should be acknowledged and honoured as motivation would enhance their performance.

He called for changing the narrative from “Pak Fights Polio” to “Pakistan Winning Over Polio”. He expressed the hope that the World Polio Day next year would mark the complete eradication of polio from Pakistan.