In the meeting of the parliamentary committee, the lawmakers have suggested that polio vaccination should be made mandatory for the issuance of national identity card, Form B and passport.
Prime Minister’s National Health Coordinator Dr. Malik Mukhtar, while addressing the meeting, highlighted the challenges faced in eradicating polio in Pakistan.
He revealed that nine cases of polio have been reported from a union council of Dera Ismail Khan.
Dr. Nikhat Shakeel, convener of the parliamentary committee, called the increase in polio cases a national emergency.He pointed out that despite the untiring efforts of polio workers, who also laid down their lives, the country could not completely eradicate polio even after three decades.
The meeting also stressed the importance of involving local leaders and scholars in the polio eradication campaign.
PTI’s Ali Mohammad Khan described his role as important, while Shahida Rahmani gave the example that during a polio campaign, Maulana Fazlur Rehman himself visited the homes of Lucky Marwat and vaccinated the children.
