PM’s aide vows full polio eradication as this year’s tally stands at seven

PM’s aide vows full polio eradication as this year’s tally stands at seven

ISLAMABAD/RAWALPINDI: Prime Minister’s Focal Person for Polio Eradication, Ms Ayesha Raza Farooq, on the occasion of World Polio Day on Saturday, said that significant progress has been achieved in the national mission to eradicate the virus of this crippling disease. She said that while the country has recorded a 99.8pc reduction in polio cases over the past three decades, the positivity rate of environmental samples for poliovirus has declined to below 10pc. “We must sustain the progress achieved so far. I want to thank all partners for supporting us throughout the journey towards polio eradication. Similarly, the efforts of polio workers cannot be forgotten. We will soon completely eradicate the disease from Pakistan,” she added. Meanwhile, Rotary International has reaffirmed its decades-long support for Pakistan’s efforts to stop the spread of the wild poliovirus in the country, one of two worldwide where the virus remains endemic, along with Afghanistan. PMA seeks security for vaccination teams in high-risk areas “We have contributed more than US$3 billion, including US$1.3 million from Rotary members in Pakistan, and invested more than half a billion of these funds and countless volunteer hours to protect over 45 million children in Pakistan from this paralysing disease,” said Rotary International President Olayinka Hakeem Babalola. “Pakistan is demonstrating strong progress with only a handful of reported cases this year, and in order to safeguard our credibility and maintain trust, we are continuing to address other community needs,” said Aziz Memon, chair of Rotary’s Pakistan National PolioPlus Committee. PMA recommendations Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) has stated that the country stands at a decisive juncture in public health history. Secretary General PMA Dr Abdul Ghafoor Shoro has stated that as of Oct 2026, Pakistan has officially recorded seven wild poliovirus cases nationwide. “The breakdown reflects ongoing localised viral transmission, including five reported cases in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and two cases in Sindh,” he stated. “The PMA strongly condemns violent attacks on door-to-door vaccination workers and their security detail, including a tragic attack in September in Balochistan where two police constables deployed to protect a polio team lost their lives. PMA demands that all provincial governments immediately designate health personnel, door-to-door teams, and immunisation centres under High-Security Protection Frameworks,” he said. Frontline workers Pakistani Test cricketer and renowned spin bowler Sajid Khan joined Punjab Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) Coordinator Khalid Parvaiz and the EOC team at a local college in Rawalpindi on Saturday to mark World Polio Day under the theme ‘Shukriya Frontline Workers’ to pay tribute to the dedication and commitment of frontline polio workers protecting children from lifelong disability. The event brought together education representatives, students and polio programme officials to acknowledge the efforts of frontline workers who go door to door to ensure that every child receives protection against polio through vaccination. As the special guest, Sajid Khan appreciated the commitment of polio workers and encouraged parents to ensure that their children under five receive polio drops during every campaign. He highlighted the importance of collective responsibility in protecting children and called on young people to play a positive role in promoting awareness about vaccination and countering misinformation. Punjab EOC Coordinator Khalid Parvaiz highlighted the crucial role of frontline workers in sustaining Punjab’s progress towards polio eradication. He said their dedication, combined with the support of parents, communities and government institutions, remained essential to reaching every child and preventing the virus from spreading. He noted that Punjab had made significant progress in reducing the risk of polio transmission, with no polio cases reported in the province in 2026 to date. However, he stressed that continued vigilance was essential as the poliovirus remained a threat in Pakistan and could reach any community through population movement. Published in Dawn, October 25th, 2026