PM Shehbaz calls for enhanced efforts to achieve polio-free Pakistan

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday said that the persistence of polio in Pakistan and its neighboring country was a moment of introspection, urging the government authorities as well as the polio workers to put in their enhanced efforts to purge the country of this crippling disease, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.

“Let’s brace ourselves and accept the challenge and start running and achieve the trophy, which we’re all wanting to have sooner rather than later. If the whole world can become polio-free, except Pakistan and our neighbouring country, I think it’s a moment of introspection,” the prime minister said addressing a ceremony held in connection with the World Polio Day in Islamabad.

The prime minister, who also distributed appreciation shields among the polio workers, appreciated their courage and unwavering commitment to achieve polio-free Pakistan, saying that the nation owed huge gratitude to all of them.

The event was attended by Federal Minister for National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination, Syed Mustafa Kamal, Information and Broadcasting Minister Attaullah Tarar, Focal Person Polio Ayesha Raza Farooq, and representatives of international partners, including WHO and UNICEF.

Appreciating the role and contributions of the international partners, he said that the polio field workers had done a “remarkable” job in these preceding years, risking their lives at times in areas where polio eradication had become a challenge.

The prime minister urged the health minister and focal person to further solidify their efforts and bring fame to Pakistan by eradicating the disease.

He particularly thanked Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for contributing a huge amount of around half a billion dollars in collaboration with the Bill Gates Foundation to be spent over the next few years for polio eradication.

“And I think this window of opportunity is limited. Let’s not waste it…Suffice it to say that time and tide wait for none,” he said and prayed to Allah Almighty for a safe and healthy future for the children of the country.

First Lady reaffirms Pakistan’s resolve to end polio

As the international community observes World Polio Day today, the First Lady of Pakistan Bibi Aseefa Bhutto Zardari reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to eradicating polio and protecting every child from preventable diseases.

The first lady said that Pakistan had made steady progress against polio, but the task was not yet complete.

She noted that the remaining cases reminded everyone that this was not only a health issue but a shared national duty.

“Each child missed is a child at risk,” she said, calling for efforts to reach every home and community with the polio vaccine.

Recalling the legacy of Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto, who launched Pakistan’s first nationwide polio eradication campaign in 1994, the first lady said that her vision continued to guide national efforts to eliminate the disease.

First Lady Aseefa Bhutto said that she felt a deep personal connection to Pakistan’s polio eradication journey, recalling that the campaign was first launched by her mother, Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto, who as Prime Minister personally administered the first polio drops to her.

She said that moment not only marked the start of Pakistan’s national drive against polio but also inspired her lifelong commitment to continue that mission.

Bibi Aseefa Bhutto Zardari paid tribute to the health workers and security personnel who served in the national polio campaign, especially the women vaccinators who travelled to hard-to-reach areas to ensure no child was left behind.

She said the courage and sacrifice of those who lost their lives in this cause would always be remembered, adding that their efforts had brought Pakistan closer to a polio-free future.

She encouraged parents, caregivers, and community leaders to continue supporting vaccination efforts. With collective effort and care, she said, Pakistan can achieve a future free from polio — a goal owed to the next generation.

The first lady also urged everyone to stay united and persistent until polio was fully eradicated from the country.

Reporter Awais KIyani