DG Health Dr. Zahid Pervaiz wishes to make Pakistan polio free for the next generation

Lahore: The Director General Health Services Punjab Dr. Zahid Pervaiz attended an Independence Day ceremony at the Emergency Operation Center staff in the premises of the Directorate General Health Punjab here on Thursday.
Dr. Zahid Pervaiz said that making Pakistan polio free by the end of 2016 was a target, he had set for his team. The ceremony was attended by Additional Director EPI Dr. Syed Sohail Ahmed, BMGF representative Dr. Aslam Chaudhry, Dr. Mazhar Qureshi, UNICEF representative, program managers, staff of international development partners and the employees of the health department. The DG led a cake cutting ceremony followed by a prayer for Pakistan. The participants of the ceremony wore Pakistan flags and national anthem was played. After the national anthem, a prayer was also led by the DG for Pakistan’s prosperity.
Highlighting the importance of the Independence Day, Dr. Zahid Pervaiz said a polio-free Pakistan was his dream and the progress of the last year was a testament to the efforts made by the department. He especially praised the EPI team for their dedication and commitment as no case was reported from the province in the first half the year. He said the Independence Day reminds everyone of the dream of a Pakistan free of vaccine preventable diseases, urging parents to take keep immunization record of their children and save the next generation.
He said without strengthening Routine Immunization, Pakistan may not be able to achieve the desired results. He further said that said parents must take their children to nearest EPI center for the vaccination of their children He also said a modern and progressive Pakistan must be free of diseases.
He urged the doctors to keep their knowledge updated highlighting the need for more local research and the cure of cost-effective treatment of diseases like hepatitis.