Wasim Akram pays tribute to polio workers

LAHORE: Former cricketer and brand ambassador of anti-polio immunization campaign in the country Wasim Akram on Tuesday paid tribute to the polio workers, ARY NEWS reported.

In a special message on the ongoing immunization campaign in the country, Wasim Akram said that the polio workers go door to door to administer polio drops to the children and the parents should ensure that their five or below age children are administered two drops during the campaign.

“A healthy future will guarantee a strong Pakistan,” he said.

The former cricketer lauded the passion of polio workers and said that despite COVID-19 pandemic, their service to humanity is laudable.

“They are coming at your doorstep to save the future of the country,” he said and added that he and entire Pakistan salute to the polio workers for their services.

It is pertinent to mention here that the government of Pakistan has resumed polio vaccination activities on July 20 with a campaign in selected districts after a four-month suspension of all polio vaccination activities due to COVID-19 pandemic.

Districts included in the first round are Faisalabad, Attock, South Waziristan, and parts of Karachi and Quetta with a target to vaccinate almost 800,000 children under the age of five.

Under the guidance of the Ministry of Health and following the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) guidelines and Polio Oversight Board recommendations, the Pakistan Polio Eradication programme had suspended all Polio related activities in the last week of March, except surveillance. In the meanwhile, all programme strengths and capacities were redirected to support the ongoing COVID surveillance and response efforts at different levels.

The programme has been vigilantly monitoring the evolving risks of COVID as well as polio and other vaccine-preventable diseases across Pakistan.