Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani on Monday said the provision of better health and education facilities to masses is the foremost priority of the present government. "Healthy children are an asset for the nation and can play an effective role for the country's future," the Prime Minister said while launching the national polio campaign here at the Prime Minister House.
The Prime Minister started the campaign by administering polio drops to a child. The Prime Minister said the national campaign against polio reminds of the supreme objective of Benazir Bhutto Shaheed. "We have to complete that mission to safeguard every child of Pakistan from disability." "On this occasion I would like to say that we all have to play our full role to turn the dream of a polio free Pakistan into reality," the PM said.
He recalled that aim of the people friendly policies of Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto and Benazir was to make available the facilities of health and education to the poor people. The Prime Minister expressed concern over new cases of polio, and directed the health ministry, provincial health ministry and district administrations all over Pakistan to ensure that no child is left without administering the anti-polio drops.
He warned against any slackness at any level in the campaign against polio. He called the campaign for complete eradication of polio a great combined effort and lauded the efforts of provincial health departments which were undertaken in collaboration with institutions such as World Health Organisation, Unicef, Jica, USAID, Rotary International and others.
The Prime Minister expressed the hope that these organisations would take part in the campaign wholeheartedly. Minister for Health Sherry Rehman also administered polio drops to the children.