ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi said on Friday that any new polio case in the country should be taken seriously and no effort should be spared to ensure the complete eradication of the disease from the entire country. While chairing a meeting of National Task Force on Polio Eradication, the prime minister reiterated the firm commitment of the government to rid the country of polio. “High mobility rates and existence of polio reservoirs across the border are among the major challenges facing the complete elimination of polio, but we are fully determined to overcome them,” he said. While briefing the meeting about the progress on the efforts for polio eradication, Prime Minister’s Focal Person on Polio Eradication Ayesha Raza Farooq said that 206 cases were reported in the country during 2014. “However, due to the consistent efforts of the present government and support from international partners, provincial governments, armed forces and law enforcement agencies, polio incidents have been significantly reduced,” she said. “However, in 2017, only three cases have been reported so far,” she added. She said that 38 million children were vaccinated during previous campaign and the Independent Monitoring Board had termed Pakistan’s Polio Eradication Program as one of the best efforts in the world.The meeting was informed that no polio case had been reported from FATA since July 2016. Similarly, Karachi and interior Sindh have also remained polio free since February 2016 and November 2016 respectively. Minister for National Health Services Saira Afzal Tarar informed that an emergency programme was initiated in 2013 and that potential areas including Karachi, Quetta and rural Balochistan were being especially focused on to ensure that the virus was effectively checked and eliminated. The prime minister appreciated the role played by provincial governments, FATA administration and governments of AJK and Gilgit-Baltistan in implementation of the National Polio Eradication programme.Prime Minister Abbasi further stressed that routine immunisation for polio should be strengthened and assured full cooperation from the federal government. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Iqbal Zafar Jhagra, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, the AJK PM, the Gilgit-Baltistan CM and representatives of the Punjab and Balochistan governments also briefed the meeting and expressed their full commitment to the programme. The meeting was attended by Technical Advisory Group Chairman Dr Jean Marc Olive, Country Representative UNICEF Angela Kearny, Team Leader UNICEF Dr John Agbor and other representatives of international organisations.Cabinet’s decision to ensure availability of life-saving drugs hailed: Minister for National Health Services Saira Afzal Tarar on Friday hailed the decision of the Federal Cabinet in its meeting to approve fixing of maximum retail price of essential and life-saving drugs. “This will ensure availability of life-saving drugs in the market,” the minister said while commenting on the decision. The decision is part of the first ever Drug Pricing Policy given by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz government.The minister said that the federal cabinet had approved the maximum retail prices of drugs fixed in accordance with the provisions of the Drug Pricing Policy 2015 or lower prices as demanded by the manufacturers or importers. “This will ensure availability of new therapies for patients suffering from Hepatitis C, patients on dialysis, umbilical cord infections in new born babies, vaccines for Diphtheria, Pertusis and Tetnus, Hepatitis B and other diseases such as major depression, anxiety, ulcers, epilepsy, psoriasis, diabetes, hypertension, allergy, gastrointestinal pain, scickle cell anemia, rickets disease and scurvy, deficiency iron, calcium, vitamins, minerals and electrolytes, diarrhea, bone osteoporosis, viral, fungal and bacterial infection, skin infections, asthma, pulmonary obstructive disease, lung injections, burnt skin infections, parkinsonism, rhinitis, Hemorrhoids, Hypertension, Psychosis, Dry eyes, diabetic insipidus, vertigo, prevention of bleeding, smoking cessation therapies, anesthesia, vomiting in cancer patients, blood volume expansion, bone osteoporosis, contraception, anemia and fertility at affordable prices,” she said. “The decision will allow marketing of new drugs which will not only ensure availability of new treatments for life threatening diseases, but also increase competition in respect of already available therapies in the market,” the minister added. “We consider access to quality and affordable drugs as the right of every Pakistani and we will continue to strive to this end,” the minister said. She said that the prices of 113 new drugs had been recommended by the Drug Pricing Committee which had representation of Health Departments of all provinces, Ministry of Finance, Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan. “Pharmaceutical industry representatives also attend meetings of the committee as observers,” she said. Published in Daily Times, August 26th 2017.