Pakistan, Afghanistan to work on polio eradication together

Pakistan and Afghanistan have decided to enhance cooperation for the eradication of crippling polio disease.

The understanding came at a meeting between Special Assistant on Health Dr Zafar Mirza and Afghan Health Minister Dr Ferozuddin Feroz in Tehran, Radio Pakistan reported.

The two sides also agreed to develop a joint mechanism against substandard medicines.

The Afghan Health Minister thanked Pakistan for constructing three state-of-the-art hospitals in Kabul, Jalalabad and Logar for the Afghan people.

Pakistan has lately completed various anti-polio drives across the country. Last week, the government decided to launch an effective sensitization campaign for parents at the federal level to ensure the immunization of their children during every anti-polio vaccination drive.

According to official sources, the decision was made keeping in view the increasing number of polio cases that were being reported throughout the country particularly from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Radio Pakistan reported.

The sources said that under the plan, public awareness will be created through media on all government advertisements to educate the people on the prevention of their children from the crippling disease.