Foreign delegates praise efforts to fight polio

LAHORE: An 18-member delegation of the Polio Oversight Board called on Chief Secretary Punjab Zahid Akhtar Zaman at the Civil Secretariat on Thursday.

The delegates led by Polio Oversight Board head Christopher Elias appreciated the Punjab government’s measures against the polio and reiterated to continue collective efforts until the complete eradication of the virus.

The chief secretary said that eradication of polio is a national cause and Punjab would continue to play its role to achieve this goal. He said that under the leadership of the chief minister, the provincial government is trying to provide the best health facilities across the province, adding that along with the anti-polio campaign, the routine immunisation programme is also being improved.

The chief secretary thanked the international partners for providing support for polio eradication. Polio Oversight Board Chairman Christopher Elias mentioned that the efforts of the Punjab government for the eradication of polio are praiseworthy and they are hopeful for the elimination of the virus from Pakistan.

He said that the mobile population is a major source of virus spread. Effective measures must be taken to ensure 100 percent coverage of ‘missed children’. Secretary Health Ali Jan and Anti-Polio Program Punjab head Khizar Afzal were also present on this occasion.