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Polio eradication a must to achieve SDGs: Dr Rubina Zakar
Polio eradication a must to achieve SDGs: Dr Rubina Zakar


LAHORE: (Thursday, October 24, 2019): Punjab University Institute of Social and Cultural Studies Director Prof Dr Rubina Zakar has said that polio is serious issue in Pakistan and we could not achieve sustainable development goals. She was addressing a seminar on polio free Pakistan in collaboration with UNICEF to mark world polio day. Punjab University Pro Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Muhammad Saleem Mazhar, Senior Anchor Person Mansoor Ali Khan, Chief of World Health Organization in Punjab Dr Abdi Nasir, Chief of UNICEF Polio in Punjab Ms Attiya Qazi, faculty members and a large number of students participated in the event. Dr Rubina Zakar said that the aim of the seminar was to sensitize students on polio problems in Pakistan and to mobilize them to create awareness in their respective communities. She said that it was our national responsibility to create awareness amongst our mothers to priorities polio vaccination for their children. She emphasized that students can act as agent of change by positively contributing in data-driven, innovative, targeted and sustained communication strategies for polio eradication. PU Pro Vice Chancellor Dr. Saleem Mazhar put emphasis on the awareness and participation in the polio campaign. He said that for the development of the nation and to compete the world, we will have to make sure that our future generation is free of such diseases like polio. Senior Anchor Person Mansoor Ali Khan appreciated joint efforts by such a prominent educational institutions and UNICEF to eradicate polio. He said that university students should play their role in nation building, by creating awareness and promoting positivity in the society. Dr Abdi Nasir encouraged the students to be part of the polio campaign and help the nation. While sharing his experience about Pakistan, he said that we need to send positive message to the people and counter misconceptions about such a serious issue. He also shared with students his experiences of working on immunization in Pakistan. While presenting data on polio cases in Pakistan and specifically in Punjab, Ms Attiya Qazi described that our polio is a serious problem however, we are hopeful to tackle it soon with joint efforts. At the end a question and answers session was held to answer questions posed by the students on the issue related to the polio facilitation in remote areas.