PM Imran Khan launches anti-polio vaccination campaign

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan has launched a countrywide anti-polio vaccination campaign today by administering oral poliovirus vaccines (OPV) to children in Islamabad, ARY News reported on Monday.

The premier launched a national polio immunisation drive from Islamabad today. He administered polio drops to children during the inauguration ceremony.

PM Imran Khan chaired a session of the national task force for polio eradication where he was briefed over the emergency action plan to eradicate poliovirus from the country.

He was informed that only one poliovirus case was reported in 2021 following the federal government’s efforts.

Imran Khan said that accessing all children across the country is a big challenge to which the government launches a campaign. He added that a comprehensive national emergency action plan was devised to eradicate the poliovirus.

The premier said that the federal and provincial governments are working together to implement the action plan.

SAPM on Political Communication Dr Shahbaz Gill said earlier in the day that Pakistan has only reported a single polio case in the country during the nearly six months of 2021.

Taking to Twitter, Dr Shahbaz Gill said that one case of poliovirus was reported in the country this year due to the incumbent government’s efforts.

Earlier in the day, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah said that no polio case was reported in the province during 2021 as he launched an immunization campaign to eliminate the crippling disease.

The chief minister launched the polio campaign in the province and administered drops to children at a government dispensary in the Sultanabad area of the city.