PESHAWAR, Oct 24 (APP): Governor Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Haji Ghulam Ali on Tuesday highlighted the role of women workers in polio eradication and said that we should liaise to fight polio with the same commitment that helped us to defeat corona.
He was the Chief Guest in a ceremony held in Nishtar Hall to mark World Polio Day. The ceremony was organized by UNICEF, WHO, Rotary International and KP Elimination Program and attended by Director General Health, Dr. Shoukat Ali, Commissioner Peshawar, Muhammad Zubair, Deputy Commissioner, Afaq Wazir, Director EPI Program, Dr. Arif and polio workers.
Addressing the ceremony, KP Governor underscored the services of media, medical professionals, ulema, teachers and civil society in polio eradication and said that Pakistan and Afghanistan are the focus of the world after the elimination of crippling disease from the rest of the countries situated on the globe.
He said that the government is working on a war footing to wipe out polio and we desire that polio should be eliminated from all over the country. Highlighting the sacrifices of polio workers, he said that they should be respected for their efforts rather than targeted for a cause that would impact the future of the next generation.
He also distributed prizes and certificates among polio workers of D I Khan and other far-flung areas and cash prizes among heirs of polio workers who were killed in the line of duty.
The governor also met with a nine-member delegation of Islamia College senior alumni in the Governor House. The delegation was led by Engineer Muhammad Arif and included Abdullah Khan, Arbab Daud, Naeem Afridi, Syed Bilal and Mateeullah. The delegation informed the governor about the condition of Islamia College’s historic masjid urging him to take steps for its revamping. Haji Ghulam assured cooperation to the delegation and offered to bear the revamping expense personally.
Later, President Mardan Chamber of Commerce, Zahir Shah called on the governor and discussed matters of mutual interest.