Govt forms national consensus body on polio eradication

ISLAMABAD: The government has former National Strategic Advisory Group on polio eradication and immunisation.

 “To eradicate polio from Pakistan and effectively protect children from other vaccine preventable diseases through a truly national effort, we have constituted this National Strategic Advisory Group,” said a statement by Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Health Dr Zafar Mirza.

The broad-based body constituted will be led by Dr Zafar Mirza, and includes former Prime Minister Focal Persons on Polio Eradication Shahnaz Wazir Ali and Senator Ayesha Raza Farooq besides former Pakistan ambassador at the UN Zamir Akram.

Other key members include Chairman National Assembly Standing Committee on Health Khalid Magsi, Parliamentary Secretary for National Health Services Dr Nosheen Hamid, and MPA Sindh Dr Sanjay Gangwani .

READ MORE: Efforts intensified to defeat polio, says PM’s health adviser

This decision has been taken in consultation with the prime minister in the wake of the situation faced by the country due to the virus upsurge in the country that has so far resulted in 91 polio cases along with the recent emergence vaccine-induced polio in northern Pakistan.

Dr Mirza said the high burden of vaccine-preventable diseases in Pakistan has been a daunting challenge over the years. Moreover, the health ministry was concerned over the steep polio upsurge that affected all provinces and reached alarming proportions in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Therefore, the ministry decided to tackle the challenge through national consensus, unequivocal support and commitment across the political and social spectrum.

READ MORE: Five new polio cases reported in Sindh and KP

The group was formed to depoliticise health and benefit from the wider advice and input from different segments of society. It aims to bring together political leaders and influential personalities, public health professionals, journalists, diplomats, religious and other community groups in support of immunisation and specifically polio eradication.

The group will further advise on the development and implementation of strategies and approaches aimed at repositioning polio eradication and immunisation as a high priority national agenda and harnessing renewed political and public commitment to the cause.

READ MORE: IMB declares horrible year for Pakistan in eradicating polio

Since his takeover as a Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Health, Dr Zafar Mirza has been promoting depoliticization of health.

“Our children are endangered with preventable diseases like polio and we have to protect them from lifelong disability. This demands convergence and working together by transcending our political differences.

 “Along with Afghanistan we are the only two countries that are holding back the world from becoming polio free. National unity is the need of the hour,” said Dr Mirza.

He added that this initiative will change perception of the communities and help in creating demand for the vaccines paving the way for a healthier and polio-free Pakistan.