World Health Organisation (WHO) Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean Region Dr Mahmoud Fikri on Thursday commended the tireless efforts of Pakistan for complete elimination of polio virus from the country.
Addressing a press conference here along with Minister for National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination Saira Afzal Tarar, Dr Mahmoud Fikri said that Pakistan has been striving hard to restrict polio transmission.
He said that all the stakeholders including the government and people of Pakistan were working jointly against polio. He also appreciated the other initiatives in health sector taken by the Pakistan and said that road map was clear in Pakistan. He acknowledged the launching of Pakistan’s Hepatitis Strategic Framework 2017-2021 and Prime Minister Health Insurance Scheme.
He appreciated the effective role of Pakistan in implementation of WHO’s plans and guidelines. He added the Pakistan was working with WHO in many health initiatives.
Dr Fikri urged the member states to develop and endorse national action plan in alignment with the global action plan, establish a high-level coordination mechanism and allocating adequate resources and to develop and enforce policies and regulations to prevent purchase of antibiotics without prescription.
Saira Afzal Tarrar termed the 64th Regional Committee meeting of World Health Organisation (WHO) as a big achievement for Pakistan, which helped enhancing the positive image of the country.
She said, “We have overcome the fatal diseases particular contracted to children and adolescent girls.” She added Pakistan was moving forward towards complete eradication of polio.
She informed that Pakistan has presented its key initiatives taken during the last four years in this regional conference. In the session on Social Protection Pakistan presented its Prime Minister’s National Health Programme which was providing cashless high quality health services to the poorest of the poor.
She said that it was decided that the first regional meeting on assistive devices would be convened in Pakistan which was a great honour for the country. A resource centre on assistive technologies would be established.
She added data on unmet needs of assistive technologies would also be collected. She said Pakistan would lead efforts to bring a resolution on assistive technologies in WHO Executive Board meeting being held in January 2018.
She said that improvements made by Pakistan in mother and child immunisation were shared with the regional committee. Significant progress in up scaling coverage and ensuring sustainability of services was highly appreciated, she added.
