Anti-polio drive begins across the country

ISLAMABAD: Anti-polio drive has begun across the country with an aim to administer anti-polio and vitamin A drops to more than 40 million children up to the age of five years

All arrangement for the anti-polio campaign in the country and training of the polio workers are put in place. The polio workers have been asked to follow COVID-19-related SOPs during the campaign.

Coordinator Anti-Polio Programme, Dr Shehzad Baig said that more than 40 million children are to be administered anti-polio drops and vitamin A drops. He urged the parents of the children to cooperate in the drive to save the future of their children.

Dr Baig said Pakistan has not reported a single case of the crippling disease in the last seven months.

Read more: PAKISTAN TO BECOME POLIO FREE NEXT YEAR: PM

The anti-polio drive is already underway in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) from September 17.

Earlier this year in the month of July, Prime Minister Imran Khan had expressed the hope that Pakistan would become polio-free the next year.

Taking to Twitter, Prime Minister Khan had said InshaAllah we would eradicate polio completely in the coming year.

He had said he spoke with Bill Gates, Co-Chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, last night and thanked him for the help his Foundation has provided for polio eradication in Pakistan.