January 20, 2014 - Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif has said that Pakistan remains strongly committed to polio eradication. Despite the immense security challenges we face due to our contribution to the war on terror the government has successfully managed to localize most cases to focal areas concentrated mainly in the conflict areas in North Waziristan and Khyber agency. 95% of the country is now polio – free. No WPV3 cases were reported in 2013. While this is evidence of the long way we have come, there is much that needs to be done. In this regards we have already started implementing the augmented National Emergency Action Plan (NEAP) through a series of concerted efforts aimed at complete eradication of polio in 2014. 

PM further stated that the President of Pakistan has already launched the immunization programme in KPK this month by convening a grand Jirga where the President sought support of the local community especially the Ulema (Religious scholars) and the tribal leaders and personally administered polio drops to children. PM further said that “I myself am personally supervising the Prime Minister’s Polio Eradication Cell while my focal person Ms. Ayesha Reza Farooq is actively providing oversight and coordination between the federal ministers, provincial authorities and other stakeholders. Vaccination desks at international airports, railway stations as well as on the highways have preemptively been setup to check the spread of polio. Our valiant polio workers continue to perform their job with devotion and dedication despite obstacles. I salute their perseverance and commitment”. 

While addressing the security challenges, targeting of vaccination teams, and increased doubts due to fake immunization programs, the PM said that “security threats have made the task more challenging, however, Polio is a menace, which threatens our future generations”. PM added that “We must rise to the challenges united as a nation as it means the difference between a healthy child and a crippled one. We seek positive reinforcement from our partners and the support of the international community to augment our efforts”. 

“My government and I shall not rest till we have immunized every last child in the country and completely eradicated this debilitating disease”, reiterated the Prime Minister.