The nation celebrates a moment of honour as Pakistani doctor,Dr Shahzad Baig, is featured in the Time magazine's list of100 world leaders in the field of health —'TIME100 HEALTH'.
Dr Baig leads the Pakistan Polio Eradication Programme as its national coordinator, serving the country in its fight against the most pressing healthcare issue.
Before arriving in Pakistan to lead anti-polio efforts, he served in Nigeria as technical adviser for the country's polio eradication initiative, which was a success, as the African nation was declared polio-free in 2020. Under his leadership, Time maintains, Pakistan will be the next polio-free nation.
Dr Baig's profile on Time has been penned by Jeffrey Kluger, the editor at large at the American magazine, known for his coverage of space, science and climate.
"In 2019, polio disabled or killed 147 people in Pakistan; since Baig assumed the position, in 2021, case counts have plummeted, with only six children stricken in 2023. The goal is to bring that number to zero by 2026," Kluger wrote, praising the Pakistani medic.
Baig, according to Kluger, has remained at the forefront of ending polio in Pakistan in the context of extremists attacking polio workers and propagating against polio vaccination.
"Under his leadership, the government has deployed 400,000 vaccinators and 80,000 security personnel to inoculate more than 90 million children this year alone, with another 24 million to come in a springtime vaccination drive," the Time editor at large added.
"His inclusion in this esteemed list is a testament to his dedication to the mission of Polio eradication from Pakistan!" stated the Pakistan Polio Eradication Programme on its Instagram profile.