Polio eradication plan : PTCL, Ufone 4G join hands with National Emergency Centre

KARACHI: Under corporate social responsibility, PTCL and Ufone 4G joined hands with the National Emergency Centre, Government of Pakistan to extend its support for Polio eradication from Pakistan, said a press release.

The national telecommunication group created awareness by leveraging its vast network to promote vaccination against the disease that can physically impair children for life if not prevented in time.

Unfortunately, Pakistan is one of the only two countries where polio is still prevalent. The Government of Pakistan with the support of National Emergency Centre and other stakeholders is constantly working to eradicate the disease to safeguard the lives and future of our children. This time around, the PTCL and Ufone 4G stepped up to raise awareness regarding the urgency to vaccinate children to prevent them from getting affected by lifelong physical deformity at the hands of this otherwise easily preventable disease.

The PTCL and Ufone 4G supported the three-day polio vaccination drive from May 23 to May 25, 2022, by sending SMS broadcasts across 11 regions of the KPK and the former tribal districts, including Kohat, Orakzai, Kurram, Hangu, Karak, Bannu, LakkiMarwat, North Waziristan, South Waziristan, DI Khan, and Tank. The Urdu language SMS broadcasts urged parents to get their children vaccinated during every vaccination campaign to ensure their health and safety.

Sharing his thoughts regarding the campaign, Head of PR & Corporate Communication, PTCL Group, Amir Pasha, said: “We are glad to support the efforts of National Emergency Centre and the Government of Pakistan towards eradication of Polio from Pakistan. It is important for us because this is about safeguarding of our future generations from lifelong dependency.

We at PTCL and Ufone 4G will continue to leverage our services and infrastructure to create shared value for the society under our corporate social responsibility program.

We hope that our efforts make a significant difference in reducing vaccine hesitancy so that our future is in the hands of a hale and hearty generation.”

“We are grateful to PTCL and Ufone 4G for their cooperation in creating awareness regarding the polio emergency in Pakistan. The Polio Programme is working relentlessly with partners and other important stakeholders to prevent children from falling prey to lifelong disability.

We need more cooperation like this for promoting vaccination across all regions of Pakistan so that all children are safe and grow with full potentials,” said Dr Shahzad Baig, National Coordinator, Polio Eradication Programme.

The initiative originating from its CSR objectives reflects the group’s commitment to promote social-good and sustainable growth in the country.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022