LAHORE: The national and provincial leaderships have reaffirmed their commitment to eliminate polio from Pakistan by finalising a comprehensive “Road to Zero” strategy during a two-day National Polio Management Team (NPMT) meeting, which concluded here on 8th August.
Chaired by Prime Minister’s Focal Person on Polio, Ms Ayesha Raza Farooq, the meeting was also attended by Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) coordinators from all four provinces, as well as representatives from Azad Jammu & Kashmir (AJK) and Gilgit-Baltistan (GB).
Senior officials from the federal government, partner agencies and development organisations were also present.
Presiding over the meeting, Ms Farooq paid rich tribute to the frontline polio workers, acknowledging their dedication despite persistent challenges such as refusals, misinformation, and access issues in high-risk areas.
“Despite the odds, our frontline workers are doing a remarkable job. The NPMT has provided all stakeholders an opportunity to openly discuss and deliberate on the challenges facing the programme and strategise actionable solutions,” she remarked.
Expressing concern over the evolving epidemiological trends, she noted that although serious challenges remain, substantial progress has been made in areas such as quality surveillance, campaign performance, and risk communication.
She called on all stakeholders, including the government departments and international partners, to work with renewed commitment and collaboration.
“This year, we will approach things differently. Out-of-the-box solutions must be applied to reach every missed child and eradicate polio once and for all,” she stated.
Ms Farooq emphasised the importance of the pre-campaign phase of Supplementary Immunisation Activities (SIAs) to ensure successful outcomes and lasting impact.
She also highlighted the growing synergy between the Polio Eradication Initiative (PEI) and the Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI), terming it a pivotal element for polio eradication.
Addressing specific regional challenges, she urged the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) team to intensify efforts to overcome security-related barriers, particularly in south KP, which remains one of the most challenging zones for the programme.
While maintaining focus on traditional polio hotspots and virus reservoirs, the focal person cautioned stakeholders against neglecting other areas that currently appear stable.
“We must keep our foot on the accelerator in every part of the country. Success can only be achieved by working as one cohesive team,” she stressed.
Ms Farooq also reflected on the country’s earlier gains, which had brought Pakistan extremely close to polio eradication. She urged everyone to learn from past experiences, close the remaining gaps and cross the final threshold.
She called for transparent and meaningful accountability at all levels to ensure efficiency and credibility. While acknowledging the reality of resource constraints, she encouraged the programme to optimise existing resources and improve coordination among partners and government departments.
In her closing remarks, she appreciated the tireless efforts of provincial coordinators and their teams, paid tribute to polio workers across the country and acknowledged the silent heroes of the programme, including personnel from law enforcement agencies, for ensuring access and security in difficult areas.
Pakistan remains one of only two countries in the world, along with Afghanistan, where wild poliovirus transmission has never been interrupted. However, the country has made significant strides in reducing polio cases, thanks to the relentless efforts of frontline workers, community mobilisers and the support of the government and international partners.
Published in Dawn, August 9th, 2025
