PM Imran expresses disappointment on outbreak of poliovirus
PM Imran expresses disappointment on outbreak of poliovirus.
ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – Prime Minister Imran Khan Wednesday expressed disappointment on outbreak of poliovirus as he chaired an emergency meeting to analyze the critical situation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP).
Imran Khan stressed that it is federal government’s foremost priority to eradicate polio from Pakistan. He directed the authorities to take effective measures against the disease and said it harms the upcoming generations.
Special Assistant on National Health Services Dr Zafar Mirza, the Chief Ministers of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan and the Chief Secretaries of Punjab and Sindh were present in the meeting which was briefed about the situation by Prime Minister’s Focal Person for Polio Babar Bin Atta.
Representatives of Bill and Melinda Gates, World Health Organization and the UNICEF also attended the session.
On the other hand, Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates offered the support of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation for eradicating polio in Pakistan in a letter addressed to PM Imran Khan.
The billionaire philanthropist, in the letter dated August 16, 2019, pledged to continue working with the relevant authorities in Pakistan to eradicate polio virus from the country.
Read more: Bill Gates pens letter to PM Khan; expresses concern on ‘polio situation’
It is worth mentioning here that polio cases this year have already exceeded the total numbers of previous three years. Despite government’s anti-polio measures, 53 cases have been reported across the country with 41 patients from KP, 5 from Punjab, 4 from Balochistan and 3 from Sindh.
Let it be known 20 polio cases were reported in Pakistan in 2016, 8 in 2017 and 12 in 2018.
