In an endeavour to make Pakistan polio-free, Dr. Shahzad Baig, the coordinator of the National Emergency Operations Centre for Polio Eradication, asked parents to vaccinate their children against polio and appealed for society’s combined efforts to eradicate the disease.
He stated that the national cause of eliminating polio is something that people from all walks of life, including the media, academics from religious institutions, educators, parents, and influential individuals, should unite and work towards.
In order to completely remove this threat from our nation, he added, all political and religious groups, celebrities, members of all social groups, and regular citizens should step up.
“A last-ditch effort is required to end this terrible illness,” he continued.
Along with acknowledging the unsung heroes of the polio eradication project, he also expressed gratitude to the front-line workers who persevered in challenging conditions to administer the life-saving vaccination to youngsters.
“Please greet these workers at the door when they arrive, parents and carers. The next generation of our nation is being safeguarded by their efforts, he said.
The true difficulty, according to him, was getting the word out to local pulpits and rural places. People shouldn’t be duped by unfavourable information regarding the polio vaccine, according to Dr. Shahzad Baig.
In response to a query, he stated that the anti-polio vaccine was being pushed to parents and that multiple incidents of rejection had been documented in various isolated communities.
He gave the assurance that all aid and cooperation from the federal government is being provided in this regard.