Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation assures its cooperation for eradication of polio

Lahore: Advisor to Chief Minister Punjab on Health Kh. Salman Rafique said that provincial government and the Health Department is making all out efforts with full commitment to eradicate polio but no province can eradicate polio from the country singlehandedly and for this purpose joint and consolidated efforts are very essential.

He said this while talking to the country Coordinator of Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Dr. Waqar Ajmal who called on him at Civil Secretariat today. Secretary Health Jawad Rafique Malik, Provincial Coordinator Bill and Malinda Gates Foundation Dr. Aslam Chaudhry and Director Health EPI Dr. Munir Ahmed were also present in the meeting.

Dr. Waqar Ajmal said that Punjab government’s efforts for polio eradication are laudable. He said that Punjab has about 52 percent of the total population of Pakistan but out of more than 200 cases only 3 polio cases have so far been reported in Punjab which reflects the good performance of provincial Health Department and the government. He said that whole world has focused on Pakistan with regard to polio and if polio could not be eradicated from Pakistan its impacts on foreign investment and economic activities will be very negative and the problems of overseas Pakistanis will increase. He said that close coordination among all the provinces is very important for polio eradication at national level. Country Coordinator Dr. Waqar Ajmal appreciated the administrative qualities of Chief Minister Punjab Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif and said that the personal interest of the Chief Minister Punjab in polio eradication and his administrative qualities of governance have been acknowledged even in foreign countries. Dr. Waqar Ajmal said that if the African countries like Nigeria is close to being polio-free, why should Pakistan could not achieve this status.

On this occasion, Secretary Health Jawad Rafique Malik apprised the Country Coordinator of the steps taken by the provincial government for polio eradication including micro planning, training of polio teams and monitoring mechanism. Kh. Salman Rafique informed Dr. Waqar Ajmal that Health Department is preparing SOPs on the pattern of dengue control and all the government departments and agencies would be taken on board for this purpose. He said that a special campaign would be launched from November in the low transmission season of polio. He further informed that PITB would prepare dash board for polio and android phone also be given to vaccinators for their close monitoring. He said that all the political parties are on one platform on the issue of polio eradication and there is no political differences among the parties in this regard.

Kh. Salman Rafique hoped that the initiatives taken by the Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif would result in a big success against polio. Country Coordinator Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Dr. Waqar Ajmal said that Mr. and Mrs. Melinda Gates are taking personal interest for the development of health sector in Pakistan especially for the eradication of polio and measles. He maintained that being the largest welfare foundation of the world Melinda Gates Foundation would continue its cooperation with the Punjab government in eradication of polio and measles from the country.