LAHORE   -  Like rest of the world, World Polio Day is also being observed in Pakistan today (October 24).

A number of activities have been planned in Punjab, including seminars, walks, a cycle rally, media briefings, display of communication materials and awareness sessions at district level to mark the occasion. The main ceremony, which will be held at Town Hall, Lahore, will be attended by Secretary Health Punjab Usman Younis and members of Punjab Assembly.

The health secretary will hand over appreciation certificates to frontline workers against polio to recognise their hard work and dedication in reaching out to each and every child.

He will also announce the start of a cycle rally on this occasion which is being organised to spread awareness in people about the need for getting their children vaccinated against the crippling disease. In her statement, Head of the polio programme Ms Sundas Irshad said it was critically important that every child received two drops of polio vaccine during the campaign days.

She added that World Polio Day was an important occasion to derive strength from the past achievements in fight against the disease, and to also realise that it was high time to wipe out poliovirus from the country, and the world. “Polio workers who are the backbone of the polio programme are our heroes and with their help we had reached close to eradicating polio in the past. And with their help, we will turn the tide again,” she expressed the resolve.

“After five-month interruption due to Covid, monthly polio campaigns have resumed to ensure that virus transmission is interrupted. Parents should ensure that their children receive two drops of vaccine in every campaign,” reiterated head of the polio programme.

With two new cases, the number of polio-affected children in Punjab has risen to 12. While the number of children affected by the paralytics virus has risen to 79 in Pakistan. Pakistan, along with Afghanistan, is the only country left in the world where polio cases still exist.