Daily Times

The Technical Advisory Group (TAG) on polio eradication concluded its two-day meeting in Islamabad, commending the government of Pakistan for its leadership and commitment to end polio, while also highlighting the urgent need for a programme transformation to address the remaining challenges and end the disease once and for all.

The two-day meeting was attended by representatives of the government of Pakistan, polio eradication leadership at the national and provincial levels, partners and donors of the Polio Eradication Programme, including Rotary International, the Centre for Disease Control (CDC), and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

In his remarks, TAG Chair Dr Jean Marc Olivé appreciated the exceptional commitment of the government of Pakistan to polio eradication efforts. “The political commitment to polio eradication in Pakistan is exceptional. The country programme needs to capitalise on its strong country leadership, and regain the one-team approach where all the partners work together as a team,” he said.

Taking into account the existing challenges and expanding polio epidemiology with as many as 58 polio cases reported so far this year, members of the TAG emphasised that Pakistan urgently implement a transformation across the programme. According to the TAG, this transformation must focus primarily on improving campaign quality across the country, especially in high-risk union councils of polio transmission, while also building community trust, strengthening routine immunization and collaboration with the Ehsaas programme for the delivery of clean water, sanitation, hygiene and nutrition.

State Minister of Health Dr Zafar Mirza appreciated the TAG recommendations and said, “On behalf of the government of Pakistan, I reiterate our resolve to end polio. I assure the TAG that we will work tirelessly together to achieve this goal during the upcoming low-transmission season, and will provide all the requisite oversight, ownership and accountability necessary to do so.” “Despite identified challenges, we have not lost our resolve to end polio. The government remains committed to turn around this situation as soon as possible to secure a polio-free Pakistan and finally a polio-free world,” he added. Prime Minister’s Focal Person for Polio Eradication Babar Bin Atta welcomed the TAG recommendations and said that Pakistan will put all of its efforts into making sure these recommendations are implemented.

Representatives of partner and donor agencies reassured the government of their continued commitment to support the country’s efforts to eradicate polio. Speaking on behalf of the World Health Organization, WHO Representative in Pakistan Dr Palitha Mahipala said, “We are hopeful that with the extraordinary government leadership and commitment as well as support of the TAG, we will soon be able to turn this situation around. I want to reiterate that you have WHO’s full support to make Pakistan polio-free in the near future.”