Pakistan effectively working to eradicate polio: UN chief

LAHORE: United Nations (UN) Secretary General Antonio Guterres on Tuesday visited a school in Lahore and administered anti-polio drops to children under age of five years.

Talking on the occasion, the UN chief underlined the need to make joint efforts to eradicate crippling disease of polio, Radio Pakistan reported.

While expressing his satisfaction, he said Pakistan is working effectively to eradicate polio from country.

The UN chief said that Pakistan is a safe country now as compared to past.

It may be noted that a five-day countrywide anti-polio drive commenced from Monday to immunize over 39.4 million children. Around 2,65,000 anti-polio workers are participating in the drive across the country.

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In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 6.7 million children under the age of five years are being administered the vaccine.

In the vaccination drive, 19.9 million children would be administered anti-polio vaccine in Punjab, 9.26 million children in Sindh and 2.46 mln children in Balochistan.

In Islamabad 3,56,000 children, Azad Kashmir 6,90,000 children and in Gilgit-Baltistan 2,40,000 children under the age of five years would be administered the vaccine.

Terming polio eradication as a national cause and a collective responsibility, government officials have urged all segments of the society, donor agencies and government institutions, to make coordinated efforts to save the future generations from life-long disabilities.