LAHORE (Web Desk) – In a pride moment for the healthcare community in Pakistan, the Time magazine has included Pakistani doctor Shahzad Baig in its list of 100 influential people in the field of health.
Dr Shahzad Baig is National Coordinator Pakistan Polio Eradication Initiative.
Featuring in the 'TIME100 HEALTH' as one of the most influential people in the field, Dr Baig has got much-needed recognition for his leadership and efforts to end polio in the country, making the honour a significant achievement for Pakistan at the global level.
Dr Baig served in Nigeria as technical adviser for the country's polio eradication initiative, which was a success, as the African nation was declared polio-free in 2020.
Under his leadership, the Time said, Pakistan would be the next polio-free nation.
Jeffrey Kluger, the editor at large at the American magazine, known for his coverage of space, science and climate has penned about Dr Baig.
"In 2019, polio disabled or killed 147 people in Pakistan; since Baig assumed the position, in 2021, case counts have plummeted, with only six children stricken in 2023. The goal is to bring that number to zero by 2026," Kluger praised the medic.
Baig, according to Kluger, has been instrumental in eliminating polio from Pakistan in the context of extremists attacking polio workers and propagating against polio vaccination.
"Under his leadership, the government has deployed 400,000 vaccinators and 80,000 security personnel to inoculate more than 90 million children this year alone, with another 24 million to come in a springtime vaccination drive," the Time editor added.
"His inclusion in this esteemed list is a testament to his dedication to the mission of Polio eradication from Pakistan!" states the Pakistan Polio Eradication Programme on its Instagram profile.