Daily Times

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday said that the government was committed to purge the country of the deadly polio virus. The prime minister, in a meeting with a delegation of Rotary Foundation, headed by Chairman of International PolioPlus Committee Michael McGovern, said he would continue to personally monitor the efforts for the elimination of polio from the country. He said the services of the Rotary Foundation and Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation for the polio-free Pakistan were appreciable. He told the delegation that the government was ensuring the security of polio workers. The prime minister appreciated Rotary International for the development of a housing project for the victims of the 2022 floods. He instructed the authorities concerned to devise a comprehensive strategy for the upcoming polio vaccination drive. The prime minister was told that this year, Rotary International and other partner organisations had allocated $15 million for anti-polio drives. Apprising the prime minister of the current status of anti-polio campaigns, the relevant authorities told that a special drive would be launched in Southern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The prime minister instructed the law enforcement agencies to ensure foolproof security for the polio workers. He also directed the officers of the Ministry of National Health to make full preparations for the success of the upcoming polio vaccination drive.