Shahid Afridi joins polio eradicate team

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Shahid Afridi joins polio eradicate team

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Boom Boom Afridi on Saturday joined polio eradication campaign.

07 July,2012 11:06 pm

Cricketing superstar Shahid Afridi and Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime now has a new title to add to his many cricketing achievements in Polio Champion.Afridi joined representatives of the national polio eradication initiative today from the Prime Minister’s Monitoring and Coordination Cell for Polio Eradication, Rotary International, UNICEF and WHO to announce his commitment to help ensure that no child is left unvaccinated and no child is paralysed by polio in Pakistan again.Known for his aggressive batting style, the former Pakistan international captain now hopes to use that same all or nothing approach in the fight against polio.“It is an honour for me to donate my time to help to rid Pakistan of polio,” said Afridi. “I can deliver the message that reaching every child, every time with the polio vaccine is not only necessary, but it is our duty.”The campaign to be launched on July 9 will support the next National Immunisation Days from July 16-18, 2012 when over 34 million children under-five will be vaccinated.National Chair for Rotary Polio Plus Aziz Memon brokered the deal, personally requesting Afridi to accept the role as Polio Champion.“Pakistan is making real progress toward eradication,” said Memon. “And we have seen the support that celebrities of this stature can bring to national awareness efforts in other countries, and we have no doubt that Aridi will boost interest in the campaign and in ensuring every child in Pakistan is vaccinated.”In the first six months of 2012, Pakistan had 22 confirmed polio cases in 13 districts – down from 58 in 24 districts during the same period in 2011.