Cricketer Razzaq joins polio drive

LAHORE:Pakistan’s former cricket all-rounder Abdur Razzaq has urged the parents to continue vaccinating children against polio until the virus is completely eradicated from Pakistan.

Prolific Test cricketer made this call on Tuesday at the launch of the pre-campaign polio National Immunisation Day preparations held at Samanabad Hospital. The national cricketer announced to join polio eradication efforts and hoped that no child suffered from the crippling disease.

Punjab plans to inoculate nearly 22 million children in the upcoming vaccination drive starting from May 23, which will help boost children’s immunity against the virus. Punjab is fully acquainted of the potential impact on the country’s most populous province and remains committed tracking and vaccinating all children. Punjab has deployed over 160,000 mobile and transit teams to vaccinate all children five years of age and below in the upcoming campaign. The teams have been instrumental in delivering the vaccines at doorsteps and serves as a frontline force in addressing concerns of the communities at all levels of implementation. “Polio eradication must remain an urgent priority. And we need to maintain the highest level of vigilance to keep Punjab polio-free”, said Abdur Razzaq who was the part of Pakistan cricket team squad that won the ICC World Twenty20 in 2009. Razzaq also acknowledged the efforts of polio team towards effective implementation of vaccination campaigns at field level irrespective of security and access challenges. Speaking on the occasion, head of the polio programme in Punjab Ms Syedah Ramallah Ali appreciated the commitment of the national cricketer. “We need to vaccinate 100 percent of children in order to achieve population immunity and prevent re-circulation", she added.