PM Shehbaz orders to ensure availability of polio vaccine in security risk areas

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday expressing concern over Pakistan being one of the two countries in the world facing the challenge of polio, directing the authorities concerned to ensure the availability of polio vaccine in security risk areas.

The prime minister, in a meeting with a polio eradication team, said every child should be administered polio vaccine in the areas facing security challenge.

PM Shehbaz said Pakistan made a significant headway in polio eradication consequent to the dedication of the frontline workers, determination of the government and cooperation by the partners.

In a briefing to the prime minister about the polio eradication, he was apprised of two, four and six-month plans.

It was told that nine polio cases had been reported in 2024 and that countrywide polio vaccination drives would be launched in September, October and December this year.

The prime minister was told that the data of the children missed from polio vaccination had been digitised to ensure their vaccination through digital tracking.

Coordinator to Prime Minister on National Health Dr Malik Mukhtar Ahmed, PM’s Focal Person on Polio Eradication Dr Ayesha Raza Farooq, Secretary National Health Dr Nadeem Mehboon and National Coordinator on Polio Eradication Muhammad Anwarul Haq attended the meeting.

Earlier on July 20, Pakistan reported ninth cases of polio in 2024. The polio virus was detected in 18-month-old boy in the Zhob district of Balochistan.

PM’s Coordinator on Health Dr. Malik Mukhtar Ahmed said that the genetic testing of the virus is still underway.

He confirmed that so far nine children in the country have been affected by polio in the current, with seven cases reported only from Balochistan.