Aseefa Bhutto Celebrates World Polio Day

KARACHI - Rotary Ambassador for Polio, Ms Aseefa Bhutto Zardari celebrated World Polio Day at the Emergency Operation Centre for Polio, whilst inoculating young children with two drops of Polio vaccine. She also met with the concerned authorities and facilitators, working for the Polio Program in Sindh.

EOC Polio Coordinator Mr. Fayaz Jatoi and Technical Focal Person EOC, Sindh, Dr. Ahmad Ali Shaikh were present at the center to welcome Ms Aseefa. EOC Advisor Ms. Shahnaz Wazir Ali, Chairman of the National Polio Plus Committee, Pakistan, for Rotary International Mr. Aziz Memon, Chief of Field Office UNICEF Sindh, Cristina Brugiolo, Technical Focal Person National EOC Dr. Altaf Bossan and team leaders from WHO and UNICEF, were also present.

During the ceremony, Ms Aseefa Bhutto engaged with the parents who brought their children to get vaccinated, and lauded the efforts made by Sindh’s Polio team for working diligently to eradicate this debilitating virus from our society.

While addressing the audience, she stated, “Pakistan has come a long way in polio eradication; from 306 cases in 2014 to 6 cases this year. This shows vaccines work and we are close to eradicating polio from this country. It was my mother Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto’s dream to witness a polio free Pakistan, and we will make sure it becomes true.”

Furthermore, she added that since Polio is a preventable disease due to the presence of vaccines, no child should suffer because of lack of awareness or parent’s negligence. She urged the parents to get their children immunized.

Ms Aseefa greatly appreciated the efforts of all the women working selflessly for this program, bringing about a positive change in our society.