The administration is still dedicated to eliminating all kinds of polio in the nation, according to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s statement on Tuesday.
The virus that causes polio enters the central nervous system and damages the brain and spinal cord cells is extremely infectious.
The illness can be fatal, and those who do survive are frequently left paralysed or with limbs that have atrophied and twisted.
Those who are unvaccinated are most at risk for contracting polio, which primarily affects youngsters under the age of five.
The wild poliovirus is still endemic in only Pakistan and Afghanistan, however Malawi and Mozambique reportedly reported imported instances of the disease in 2022.
The promise was reaffirmed by the prime minister during a phone call with Bill Gates, co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF). According to a news statement from the PM Office Media Wing, the two talked about the ongoing social and public health programmes in Pakistan that BMGF supports.
The prime minister acknowledged that there had been a break in polio infections since September 2022, but he also expressed alarm over the over-reporting of new cases in 2022 following a year without any instances.
The prime minister reaffirmed that the government was actively implementing the special emergency response plan and would continue to adapt and find ways to reach out to children in these trying times. The recent flooding had negatively impacted the ongoing polio vaccination efforts due to large-scale displacements and destruction of healthcare infrastructure.
He also recognised the BMGF’s significant contribution to Pakistan’s efforts to eradicate polio and enhance the nation’s immunisation, nutrition, and financial inclusion.
The prime minister reiterated Pakistan’s desire to deepen its successful alliance with the Foundation in all active areas of collaboration.
Gates expressed his sincere regret on the lives lost in Pakistan’s recent disaster.
Furthermore, he praised Pakistan on its efforts to eliminate polio and reaffirmed his foundation’s continued support for Pakistan in its efforts to make sure that no kid would be at risk of developing paralysis owing to the poliovirus.
Additional government-led initiatives backed by the BMGF to combat malnutrition and stunting, provide crucial immunisation services, the RAAST micropayment gateway, and digitise the National Savings Program were also presented.
Gates and the prime minister decided to keep collaborating on their mutual goals and in their respective fields of expertise.
Gates Foundation commits $1.2 billion to end polio
As health professionals from all over the world convened in Berlin for a summit in October, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation announced its intention to contribute $1.2 billion to the effort to eradicate polio.
“It is possible to eradicate polio. But despite our progress, the disease continues to pose a threat “According to a statement made on the occasion by Bill Gates.
The money had to be given to the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI), a public-private collaboration coordinated by national governments that seeks to eradicate the illness by 2026.