PESHAWAR, Oct 24 (APP):Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in collaboration with Institute of Public Health and Social Sciences (IPH&SS) Khyber Medical University (KMU) here observed World Polio Day with a renewed commitment to polio eradication, routine immunization and strengthening public confidence in vaccination. The event that was jointly presided over by Secretary Health KP, Matiullah Khan and Vice Chancellor of KMU Prof. Dr. Abdul Jalil brought together representatives of …
World Polio Day observed with renewed commitment to eradicate crippling disease from society
PESHAWAR, Oct 24 (APP):Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in collaboration with Institute of Public Health and Social Sciences (IPH&SS) Khyber Medical University (KMU) here observed World Polio Day with a renewed commitment to polio eradication, routine immunization and strengthening public confidence in vaccination.
The event that was jointly presided over by Secretary Health KP, Matiullah Khan and Vice Chancellor of KMU Prof. Dr. Abdul Jalil brought together representatives of provincial health department, Emergency Operations Centre (EOC), UNICEF Peshawar, public health professionals, frontline health workers and students to highlight the importance of community engagement and coordinated efforts to protect children against polio.
The event was also attended by representatives of international development partners including UNICEF, WHO, NSTOP Program, Rotary International, Gates Foundation as well as the representatives of Pakistan Pediatric Association (PPA).
Addressing the event, Secretary health said that World Polio Day provides an important opportunity to assess our progress, recognize existing challenges and renew our determination to protect every child from poliovirus. He acknowledged the support of international partners for polio eradication and hoped for their continued support in future.
Acknowledging the challenges being faced by polio workers in the field, he highly appreciated their dedication, resilience and hard work for ensuring vaccination of every child and protecting them from lifelong paralysis.
Chief of Field Office UNICEF Peshawar, Radoslaw Rzehak underscored the significance of vaccination and added that UNICEF remains committed to supporting high-quality immunization campaigns, strengthening community engagement, addressing misinformation and building community trust in vaccination.
He also emphasized the importance of sustained collaboration, community awareness and public participation in the national polio eradication effort.
A key focus of the program was a detailed discussion on the concerns, reservations and misconceptions surrounding polio vaccination in communities. Participants emphasized that building public trust requires listening to parents, addressing their questions with accurate information and engaging community elders, religious scholars, healthcare professionals and other influential stakeholders.
They highlighted the importance of respectful communication, countering misinformation and strengthening routine immunization alongside supplementary polio campaigns to ensure that every eligible child is protected. The participants also paid tribute to the dedication and services of polio frontline workers, vaccination teams and social mobilizers.
Speakers acknowledged that frontline workers remain at the center of eradication program and deserve continued institutional support, public cooperation and recognition for their valuable contribution to protecting children’s health.
Declamation session was also held on Polio Eradication and Routine Immunization focusing on innovative approaches to generating community demand for vaccination and the role of healthcare professionals and future doctors in countering myths and promoting public trust.
A documentary titled “Frontline Heroes – Pakistan’s Journey to End Polio” was screened to recognize the commitment and challenges of those working on the front lines of the campaign.
Addressing the session, Additional Secretary Health & EOC Coordinator, Sara Rehman thanked KMU for hosting the event and expressed her gratitude to international partners and PPA for their continued support in polio eradication.
She acknowledged the invaluable services of polio workers stating that their dedicated efforts have significantly brought down the number of missed children. She further urged the students to become ambassadors of the immunization program at the community level.
In his concluding remarks, Prof. Dr. Abdul Jalil Khan, Vice Chancellor, Khyber Medical University emphasized the importance of collective responsibility, public awareness and community trust in achieving a polio-free Pakistan. He highlighted the role of academic and healthcare institutions in promoting evidence-based health information and encouraged parents and communities to cooperate with vaccination teams and ensure that every eligible child receives polio drops during each campaign.
At the conclusion of the event, the chief guests distributed certificates and souvenirs among frontline workers and other dignitaries in recognition of their dedicated services and contributions to polio eradication.
On the occasion, polio campaign starting from November 2, 2026 in 27 districts of the province was also officially inaugurated by administering polio drops to children. In this campaign, more than 4.3 million children would be vaccinated in target districts?.
As many as, 20500 polio teams have been formed while approximately 30,000 security personnel would be deployed for security of polio teams in target districts for the campaign.
