National News

ISLAMABAD, Oct 24 (APP): Islamic Advisory Group for Polio Eradication (IAG) and National Islamic Advisory Group (NIAG) Pakistan on Monday urged religious leaders and communities to protect and cooperate with polio vaccination teams. They said that the vaccination teams were exerting extraordinary efforts to reach every single child with this life-saving measure. “On the occasion of World Polio Day, we will like to express our appreciation and full support of these workers, particularly as they put their lives at risk in order to fulfill their duties towards our children,” said a press release issued by the Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination. According to a message, every year the world is reminded on October 24 that a disease that has paralyzed and killed children for thousands of years still remains among us, threatening futures. The group said ” On World Polio Day we are also reminded that Allah Almighty has bestowed upon us the blessing of a tool that not only can stop this disease from infecting our children but can finally eradicate it from earth once and for all.” It added “The path towards polio eradication started a few decades ago with the discovery of the polio vaccine. This vaccine protects children from contracting the disease and infecting others with it.” It said after having victimized hundreds of thousands of children in over a hundred countries across the globe, the virus has now been cornered into a few remaining pockets of three countries. “While great progress has been made to bring down the number of polio cases in the past few years, anything less than the protection of every single child cannot be acceptable,” Advisory Group said.