PM inaugurates nationwide polio drive

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif inaugurated the second nationwide polio campaign of the year 2022 at the PM House here Wednesday amidst assurances that the government would take all measures to eradicate the crippling disease.

The campaign, which will continue till May 27, aims to reach 43.3 million children under the age of five with around 340,000 frontline workers mobilised to administer polio vaccines at people’s doorsteps. A supplementary dose of Vitamin A drops will also be administered to children aged 6 to 59 months.

The PM opened the campaign by administering vaccination drops to children, hoping that the vaccine will reach all eligible children, especially in the country’s high-risk districts. Speaking on the occasion, the PM instructed the federal and provincial governments and the district management to address the challenges of persistently missed children, refusals, and fake finger markings. He expressed concern over three new polio cases reported in North Waziristan, fearing spread of poliov in other parts of the country and across the border.

“I urge all parents and caregivers to get their children vaccinated instead of hiding them or refusing to take the necessary drops during all vaccination drives. It is important to realise that the polio virus still exists in our surroundings and no child is safe until all children are truly vaccinated,” the PM added.