Islamabad
Chairing a review meeting on polio emergency here Wednesday, Minister of State for Health Saira Afzal Tarar called for strict accountability and maintenance of stringent monitoring to meet the remaining challenges in polio eradication.
“We must build on the success achieved hence far by maintaining stringent monitoring and making everyone associated with the programme accountable,” said Saira, noting with satisfaction, a sharp decline not only in polio cases but also in the percentage of positive environmental samples -- from 38 per cent to 12 per cent.
“The Pakistan Army has played an excellent role in providing security and access to polio teams, for which they deserve our tribute,” said the minister of state. She said, “Our priority should be areas reporting persistent virus circulation.” To this end, Saira said she would personally undertake visits to the provinces to meet the provincial leadership and address challenges in areas of concern. She also directed that rapid response teams comprising top-level polio experts be urgently dispatched wherever there is a challenge to the polio programme.
Saira directed that efforts be redoubled to improve synergy of the polio eradication programme with the country’s routine immunisation programme so that immunity level of the communities is enhanced and gains made by polio campaigns are sustained.
The Prime Minister’s Focal Person on Polio Eradication Senator Ayesha Raza Farooq, who also attended the meeting, highlighted the nationwide efforts to stop poliovirus transmission. Senior officers of the Ministry of National Health Services including Secretary Muhammad Ayub Shaikh, Director General Health Dr. Assad Hafeez and representative of Pakistan Army also attended the meeting. Representatives of leading international agencies including WHO and Unicef were also present. Earlier, a detailed briefing was given on progress of polio eradication.
