Pakistan’s ongoing efforts to eradicate polio received fresh impetus as Ayesha Raza Farooq, the Prime Minister’s Focal Person on Polio Eradication, met with Dr. Sania Nishtar, Chief Executive Officer of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, at the National Emergency Operations Centre. The high-level discussions emphasized the importance of strengthening routine immunization across the country and highlighted the need for enhanced collaboration between key partners.
During the meeting, Farooq praised Gavi for its longstanding partnership and reiterated Pakistan’s firm commitment to making immunization a national priority. Both leaders agreed on the significance of better coordination between polio eradication and routine immunization programmes, which would help protect more children from vaccine-preventable diseases.
The talks also addressed the broader need to improve access to crucial health services in high-risk areas, including nutrition, clean water, sanitation, and medical clinics. By expanding these services alongside vaccination efforts, they aim to tackle the underlying challenges that enable the spread of diseases like polio.
Participants at the meeting included Dr. Soofia Yunus, NEOC Coordinator Muhammad Anwar-ul Haq, as well as senior representatives from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the World Health Organization (WHO), UNICEF, the Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI), and the Polio Programme. Together, they discussed the development of a joint strategy designed to achieve long-lasting, sustainable outcomes in Pakistan’s fight against polio and in advancing the country’s immunization goals.
