Health Minister Khawaja Salman Rafique emphasized that polio eradication should be treated as a national agenda, urging all provinces to cooperate closely. He inaugurated the latest polio eradication campaign by administering polio drops to children at the Mother and Child Block of Fatima Jinnah Medical University.
Highlighting the need for inter-provincial collaboration, the minister stressed that parents must ensure their children receive polio drops to protect them from permanent disability. He also noted that improving micro plans to achieve 100% coverage is a priority and that joint efforts are crucial to fully eliminating the poliovirus.
Punjab Takes Key Steps to Control Hepatitis
In a separate development, an important meeting regarding the Hepatitis and Infection Control Programme was held at the Primary and Secondary Healthcare Department, chaired by Khawaja Salman Rafique. During the session, Prof Dr Saeed Akhtar presented details on the National Hepatitis Control Programme.
The health minister reiterated the Punjab government’s commitment to controlling hepatitis, emphasizing the need to expand the scope of screening to effectively combat the disease. “Hepatitis is a silent killer,” he stated, calling on all stakeholders to play their part in addressing the issue and encouraging people to adopt a healthy lifestyle.
Prof Dr Saeed Akhtar highlighted that, in line with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s vision, the National Hepatitis Control Programme will be widely implemented to enhance screening efforts across the country.
