Web Desk (MNN); Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday reiterated Pakistan’s firm resolve to completely eradicate polio, saying the government was pursuing a comprehensive strategy supported by practical measures and an effective implementation team.
According to state-run Radio Pakistan, the prime minister expressed these views while meeting Chris Elias, President of Global Development at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, in Islamabad.
PM Shehbaz said that despite notable progress in the fight against polio, the situation still demanded emergency-level efforts to ensure the disease was eliminated once and for all. He stressed that the federal government was working in close coordination with provincial authorities to guarantee unhindered access for polio vaccination teams across the country.
“The government is implementing a comprehensive strategy and taking concrete steps with an effective team,” the premier was quoted as saying.
The prime minister also expressed deep appreciation for the continued cooperation of philanthropist Bill Gates and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in supporting Pakistan’s polio eradication drive.
Radio Pakistan reported that PM Shehbaz further said projects related to polio eradication under the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) would continue nationwide to sustain momentum in vaccination campaigns.
Chris Elias, during the meeting, acknowledged the prime minister’s personal attention to the polio eradication initiative and praised the measures taken by Pakistan in this regard. He noted that Pakistan was making effective progress towards eliminating the virus.
Elias also assured continued constructive engagement with federal and provincial governments, as well as relevant institutions, to support Pakistan’s efforts to achieve complete polio eradication.
The meeting followed a visit by a high-level Gates Foundation delegation to the National Emergency Operations Centre (NEOC) a day earlier, where Pakistan’s Polio Eradication Programme reaffirmed its commitment to achieving the Roadmap to Zero Polio 2026.
