ISLAMABAD: Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar has directed to make the security of polio workers better and foolproof during the anti-polio campaign and instructed to prepare an emergency plan for polio prevention in the country.

The caretaker prime minister was chairing an important review meeting of the anti-polio task force on Wednesday which was attended by caretaker Federal Minister for Health Dr Nadeem Jan, caretaker Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa former Justice Arshad Hussain Shah, National Task Force senior officials, chief secretaries, representatives of law enforcement agencies, and relevant senior officials.

While expressing concern over the recently reported cases of polio, Kakar said that it is a matter of concern for the government that polio has been eradicated from the entire world, but the virus is still present in Pakistan and Afghanistan.

He directed to prepare next year’s emergency plan for polio prevention and an integrated programme should be started on an emergency basis in high-risk union councils regarding the polio virus.

The caretaker prime minister further directed that the injectable polio vaccine should be linked to the routine immunization program in these areas and to further improve the monitoring system modern technology should be used in this regard.

Kakar said that in the meeting with Bill Gates, Co-Chairman of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation during COP-28, it was agreed to further increase cooperation in the eradication of polio.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023