AFIP commandant says army is helping govt in reaching remote areas
The government have taken concrete steps to mobilise available resources, ensure availability of polio vaccine and human resources for complete elimination of this crippling disease.
Addressing a symposium on polio eradication, Prime Minister’s Focal Person for Polio Eradication Ayesha Raza Farooq on Wednesday said that provinces were taking action to follow the temporary recommendations relating to international travel to and from Pakistan.
She said that the PM has declared national emergency regarding polio and the government is fully prepared to deal with this situation. She said that the PM is personally monitoring the polio eradication efforts throughout the country.
She said that 90 percent of the country was polio free only cases are coming from those areas where security situation is not appropriate. She added 59 polio workers have lost their lives and 39 received serious injuries in the country.
She thanked the UAE government for its assistance in polio eradication and said that this support is an important addition in efforts to eradicate polio. She expressed the hope that such support will help reducing polio cases in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and FATA.
She said the federal government has taken several measures to implement World Health Organization temporary recommendations due to spread of poliovirus in collaboration with WHO and health development partners.
She said Pakistan has taken its responsibilities seriously as a signatory to the international Health Regulations, 2005 (IHR) and is fully committed to their implementation in letter and spirit.
WHO Representative to Pakistan, Dr Nima Abid said that WHO, alongside other health development and polio eradication partners, will continue to provide technical support to the government of Pakistan to facilitate implementation of efforts in compliance with the IHR temporary recommendations.
The official praised the efforts of the government to stop further raise of polio cases and poliovirus transmission. He added if such commitment continues particularly in next six months there will no WHO temporary recommendations related to Pakistan.
Commandant, Armed Forces Institute of Pathology (AFIP), Maj Gen Muhammad Ayub said that on the request of the federal government, Pakistan Army is not only helping the government to reaching inaccessible areas but also providing full security everywhere in the country to polio workers to reach every child.
He said once poliovirus entered the body there was no way to stop it, adding that prevention and vaccination is the only way to protect children from carrying this crippling disease.
He said any failure means hundred of thousand paralyzed children every year and urged to have coordinated efforts for complete elimination of this disease from the country.