Ayesha Raza Farooq, Prime Minister Focal Person on Polio Eradication, and Syed Qasim Ali Shah, Health Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, attended a consultative workshop on SIAs in Islamabad

Ayesha Raza Farooq, Prime Minister Focal Person on Polio Eradication, and Syed Qasim Ali Shah, Health Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, attended a consultative workshop on SIAs in Islamabad today. The four-day session, organized by the Pakistan Polio Programme, brought together Deputy Commissioners (DCs), Additional Deputy Commissioners (ADCs),Police, LEAs and District Health Officers (DHOs) from Bannu and D.I.Khan Divisions.

Addressing the gathering, Ayesha Raza Farooq underscored the pivotal role of district management in polio eradication endeavors within their respective jurisdictions. Emphasizing their proactive involvement and unwavering commitment to every polio campaign, she stressed its indispensability in mobilizing resources, coordinating with stakeholders, and ensuring effective campaign implementation. She highlighted that Pakistan has worked hard to defeat polio, and today, we are closer to success than ever before. While fewer children are being affected by the virus and vaccination rates are high in many districts, challenges persist in high-risk areas where the poliovirus continues to circulate, posing a threat to children’s health. Effective supervision, meticulous campaign planning, implementation, and monitoring shall be essential components of our strategy to reach every child with the polio vaccine.

In his address, Syed Qasim Ali Shah emphasized the indispensable role of district management in advancing polio eradication efforts within their regions. He noted that their proactive involvement and steadfast commitment are critical to the success of each campaign, playing a pivotal role in resource mobilization, stakeholder coordination, and effective campaign execution. He reassured that as a unified team, we are committed to providing our full support to these vital efforts.

The session was chaired jointly by Special Secretary Health and Provincial/ EOC Coordinator Mr. Abdul Basit, and Captain Anwar Ul Haq, Coordinator of National EOC, with representatives from partner organizations UNICEF, WHO, NSTOP and others were also present on this occasion.

Participants pledged to uphold their commitment to the cause, recognizing the gravity of the challenge and the importance of concerted efforts to achieve the shared goal of polio eradication.

Senior leadership of the Polio Eradication Programme was present at the workshop to provide valuable insights into the challenges and underscore the support required from local district authorities.