During a recent parliamentary committee meeting, lawmakers proposed that polio vaccination should become a mandatory requirement for obtaining a national identity card, Form B, and passport.
Prime Minister’s National Health Coordinator, Dr. Malik Mukhtar, addressed the meeting, shedding light on the challenges faced in eradicating polio in Pakistan. He shared that nine polio cases have been reported from a union council in Dera Ismail Khan.
Dr. Nikhat Shakeel, convener of the parliamentary committee, labeled the rise in polio cases as a national emergency. She emphasized that despite the tireless efforts of polio workers, many of whom sacrificed their lives, Pakistan has failed to completely eradicate polio after three decades of attempts.
The meeting also underscored the crucial role of local leaders and scholars in the polio eradication campaign.
PTI’s Ali Mohammad Khan stressed the importance of his own involvement, while Shahida Rahmani highlighted that during a previous polio campaign, Maulana Fazlur Rehman personally visited the homes of Lucky Marwat to vaccinate children.