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Govt forms national body to eliminate polio

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Web Desk
Web Desk
News Stories Posted by ARY News Digital Team

ISLAMABAD: The federal government has formed a national body called National Strategic Advisory Group on Polio Eradication and Immunisation to materialise the dream of polio-free Pakistan.

The body constituted in consultation with Prime Minister Imran Khan will be led by his Special Assistant on Health Dr Zafar Mirza and include former PM’s focal persons on polio wradication Shahnaz Wazir Ali and Senator Ayesha Raza Farooq besides former Pakistan Permanent Representative at the UN Zamir Akram.

Other key members include Chairman of the National Assembly Standing Committee on Health Khalid Magsi and Parliamentary Secretary for National Health Services Dr. Nosheen Hamid and member of the Sindh Assembly Dr. Sanjay Gangwani.

“We have constituted this National Strategic Advisory Group to eradicate polio from Pakistan and effectively protect children from other vaccine preventable diseases through a truly national effort,” Dr. Zafar Mirza said.

He said this decision has been taken in consultation with the PM in the wake of a spike in polio cases in the country this year.

So far 91 Wild Polio Virus (WPV1) cases along with the recent emergence of circulating Vaccine Derived Polio Virus Type 2 (cVDPV-2) in northern Pakistan have been surfaced, he said, adding the high burden of vaccine preventable diseases in Pakistan has been a daunting challenge over years.

Moreover, the special assistant said the Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination was particularly concerned over the steep polio upsurge that affected all provinces touching alarming proportions in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

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