World Health Organisation official meets Shahnaz Wazir Ali

Islamabad, September 15, 2012 (PPI-OT): A top World Health Organisation official currently working as a special advisor on Polio in WHO Headquarters in Geneva, Dr. Hussein al. Gezairy met Shahnaz Wazir Ali, Special Assistant to Prime Minister to discuss the various prospects of polio eradication initiative in Pakistan.

Ms. Shahnaz Wazir Ali expressed his gratitude for the support of support of WHO to Pakistan. “Role of WHO is very valuable for the cause and Government of Pakistan highly acknowledged the contribution of WHO team members in the country”, says Special Assistant to the Prime Minister in the meeting.

Dr. Al Gezairy was briefed that Pakistan is achieving the targets of Augmented National Emergency Action Plan to eradicate polio at a satisfactory level but the main challenge is to maintain the pace of effects that are currently effective to control polio virus transmission.

“Religious Leaders and Scholars mobilization and ownership in the process is the key to success of polio programme in Pakistan”, said Shahnaz Wazir Ali. Discussing the involvement of religious leaders in the Polio eradication initiative Dr. Al Gezairy disclosed that visit of the Imam of Al Azhar University to Pakistan is under consideration who will meet the religious stakeholders in various interactions.

Talking about the public health issues, Dr. Al Gezairy mentioned that for the success of public health programmes two factors are crucial firstly timely payments to ground staff workers and secondly the sound accountability mechanism for officials while he also highlighted the need of a Federal institution of health to deal Public health issues in the country in uniform and coordinated manner.

Dr. Al Gezairy mentioned that almost the entire Muslim Ummah eradicated Polio using the same technique. Pakistan and Afghanistan were the last remaining Muslim countries with Polio, he added. In the end he pledged all out support of World Health Organisation to Pakistan in eradicating Polio virus.

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