Rotary pledges support for polio eradication

Islamabad: Scientifically driven decision making with robust management and accountability mechanism shows that Pakistan is well on course to polio eradication and Rotary will extend continued support till the end of this mission. Together, we will be able to make it across the finish line.
Rotary International President Ian H S Riseley made these remarks Thursday during a visit to the National Emergency Operations Centre, where the Prime Minister’s Focal Person for Polio Eradication Senator Ayesha Raza Farooq briefed him on the situation of polio in Pakistan.
“Our goal is nothing short of achieving eradication and we are vigilantly and proactively identifying the remaining gaps and addressing them under the fully functional network of Emergency Operation Centres,” said Ayesha. She noted that in spite of the progress achieved so far in reducing the number of children paralysed by polio, the virus continues to be detected in the environment in Karachi, Quetta Block, Peshawar and Islamabad and Rawalpindi. “Therefore, any unvaccinated child remains vulnerable unless we ensure all children get polio drops every time,” she stated.
The National Chair of the Polioplus Committee in Pakistan Aziz Memon assured that “Rotary will be installing more water filtration plants in high-risk areas of Karachi to help improve sanitation services and enhance the immunity of children against the poliovirus and waterborne diseases.