TAG urges Pakistan to maintain high level of performance

Islamabad

The Technical Advisory Group (TAG) on polio eradication Saturday urged the Pakistan Polio Eradication Initiative (PEI) to maintain high-level performance across the country with a special focus on decreasing the number of missed children in core reservoir areas and children on the move. It has also called for further strengthening of coordination with Afghanistan, which constitutes a single epidemiological block with Pakistan.

The observations were made at the close of a two-day TAG meeting held in Islamabad to assess programme progress, opportunities, and remaining challenges towards achieving the goal of stopping poliovirus transmission. Minister of State for Health Saira Afzal Tarar, Secretary Health Ayub Sheikh, Regional Director of WHO’s Eastern Mediterranean Region Dr. Mahmoud Fikri, and Jean Gough, Regional Director for UNICEF South Asia, joined the closing session alongside senior representatives from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Rotary International, Centre for Disease Control, and other key partners.

Attributing Pakistan’s progress in the fight against polio to political commitment, strengthened performance and broad community acceptance of the polio vaccine, TAG noted that the current polio epidemiology and programme momentum remains the best ever seen in Pakistan. Consequently, the number of children paralysed by wild poliovirus has dropped from 20 in 2016 to 2 in 2017 so far.

The chair of TAG Jean-Marc Olivé said, “Pakistan’s progress towards reaching zero cases since the last TAG meeting in June 2016 has been remarkable. I am confident that we are in a good position to finish the job and I encourage everyone to continue the great work they have been doing in these past months.”

The Prime Minister’s Focal Person for Polio Eradication Ayesha Raza Farooq expressed how proud she was to see the programme as being right on track. “TAG has given us the reassurance that what we are doing is working. I am confident that we will end polio in Pakistan very soon. Together, we can do it,” she stated.

Dr. Rana Muhammad Safdar, Coordinator of the National Emergency Operation Centre for polio eradication, reflected that “TAG assessment reassures us about the appropriateness of our strategies.” Commending the efforts of Pakistan’s Sehat Muhafiz frontline workers, he called for acceleration of the all government approach with the support of other stakeholders, particularly parents, to finally wipe out the virus from Pakistan.

Dr Mahmoud Fikri renewed World Health Organization’s commitment to Pakistan and said “No stone will be left unturned to support the country in its efforts to achieve polio eradication. I am encouraged to see the progress that Pakistan has achieved and I am confident we will soon finish polio forever.”

Voicing TAG’s appreciation, Jean Gough said: “I am confident that Pakistan is close to achieving the magical goal of zero.”

Concluding the meeting, Ayub Sheikh thanked TAG members and partners for sharing their expertise to achieve the massive turn-around in polio eradication. “TAG recommendations will be implemented in letter and spirit,” he added.

Article source: https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/196064-TAG-urges-Pakistan-to-maintain-high-level-of-performance