APTMA, NEOC join hands for polio eradication

ISLAMABAD: All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (APTMA) on Tuesday signed a letter of intent (LoI) with the National Emergency Operations Centre (NEOC) for the Polio Eradication Initiative.

The partnership aims at achieving a common goal of attaining a healthy and safe future for Pakistan through immunisation with a specific focus on creating an enabling environment for polio eradication.

APTMA Secretary General Shahid Sattar and NEOC National Coordinator Dr Shahzad Asif Baig signed the LoI in a ceremony. The Unicef Pakistan chief of Polio programme was also present, says a press release.

APTMA with the assistance of NEOC and Unicef will participate in a countrywide awareness drive for the eradication of polio. Pakistan is one of the two remaining countries in the world where poliomyelitis (polio) is still categorised as an endemic viral infection. The other is Afghanistan.

As of September 2022, there have been 17 documented cases, which is a pressing concern for the Government of Pakistan and other international health monitory bodies, including Unicef. APTMA and NEOC will collaborate to provide an enabling environment to sensitise the population and implement various health checks and go beyond the territorial constraints, where cultural and ethnic beliefs play a roadblock to making Pakistan a polio free country like other progressive countries in the region. In the press release, APTMA reiterated its firm commitment and willingness to partner with Corporate Social Responsibilities (CSR) bodies to project Pakistan’s stance to resolve the challenges for improvement in social and health sectors.

APTMA as an official partner will have display cooperation with NEOC and Unicef on media campaigns (print, digital & electronic) for maximum endorsement. The inaugural ceremony of the Polio Eradication Drive will be held at Kohinoor Mills Ltd, Lahore, one of the APTMA members on October 24, 2022, to officially commence the awareness campaign.