ISLAMABAD: International donors highly appreciated the progress made by Pakistan to eradicate the deadly Polio virus and pledged to continue their support to make Polio a part of history.
“This year Pakistan has recorded the lowest number of Polio cases in 15 years and is all set to eradicate the virus in 2017. Our front-line workers are committed, resources stand mobilised and communities are geared towards achieving the target of eradication by the end of the current low transmission season,” said Senator Ayesha Raza Farooq, the Prime Minister’s Focal Person for Polio Eradication in her welcome address at a high-level meeting with international donors of the programme held at the National Emergency Operations Centre.
Dr Rana Safdar, National Coordinator for Emergency Operations Centre, briefed the representatives of donor and prospective donor agencies and countries about the progress on implementation of the National Emergency Action Plan 2016-17 and strategies for eradication through effective management, surveillance and accountability.
Representatives from Japan, Canada, Germany, Australia, Italy, Islamic Development Bank, KfW Development Bank, JICA, Dfid, USAID, Rotary International, WHO, UNICEF, CDC and Bill Melinda Gates Foundation were present at the meeting.
Angela Kearney, Country Representative of UNICEF in Pakistan praised the leadership of the programme for being honest and transparent in running a huge programme with utmost efficiency. “We will continue to support the programme at all levels,” she asserted.
Dr Assai Ardakani, WHO acting Representative appreciated the vision and performance of the national leadership and hoped that the Polio programme would leave behind good lessons for improving the overall health structures and systems of Pakistan.
National Chair of Rotary International Pakistan, Aziz Memon, said that Rotary is “proud to be a part of this national cause and would continue to support the Polio eradication programme through financial, logistical, and human resource support in the years to come.”
A representative of JICA Yohei Ishiguro said that the government of Japan and his agency were happy and satisfied to be part of a performing programme. A representative of the Islamic Development Bank in Pakistan, Inamullah Khan, applauded the exemplary political commitment shown by the government to make Polio eradication an almost reality in Pakistan.
The First Secretary of the Canadian High Commission Kiril Iordanov, CDC representative Syed Mansor Saeed, Project Coordinator KfW Germany Dr Masuma Zaidi, Programme Manager Australian High Commission Humaira Ibrahim, Resident Advisor FELTP Dr Rana Jawad, Economic Specialist US embassy Gul-e-Afshan, Team leader health and nutrition Dfid Dr Chris Athayde also attended the donor briefing.
