National Task Force Announces Launch of New Anti-Polio Campaign

A key meeting of the National Task Force on Polio Eradication announced the formal launch of a nationwide anti-polio campaign. Federal Minister for Planning Ahsan Iqbal, Polio Eradication Programme Focal Person Ayesha Raza Farooq and representatives of the private sector attended the event.

Addressing the ceremony, Federal Minister Ahsan Iqbal said that fewer than 30 polio cases had been reported last year, while the number had fallen to just four so far this year, describing the decline as a positive development. He stressed that a single child infected with the poliovirus can contribute to the spread of the deadly disease among other children.

The federal minister said that when a child contracts polio, all the dreams they have for their future are put at risk. He urged parents not to ignore polio workers when they knock on their doors and to ensure that their children receive the necessary vaccination drops.

Ahsan Iqbal further said that the government is mobilizing one million university students to promote health awareness and social consciousness. He also paid tribute to the tireless efforts of the private sector, provincial governments and polio workers in the ongoing struggle to completely eradicate polio.