https://twitter.com/home https://www.facebook.com/Shabbir.Hussain191By Shabbir Hussain
ISLAMABAD, July 11 (Alliance News): The French Embassy in Pakistan hosted an informal meeting of the Polio Oversight Board (POB), a key component of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI), at the residence of the French Ambassador on July 7, bringing together representatives from donor countries and leading international health organizations to reaffirm their commitment to supporting Pakistan’s fight against polio.
The high-level gathering was attended by representatives of major global health partners, including the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Rotary International, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), GAVI – The Vaccine Alliance, the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief), the World Health Organization (WHO), and UNICEF.
The meeting highlighted the importance of continued international cooperation and sustained financial and technical support to help Pakistan eliminate the poliovirus and achieve the goal of a polio-free future.
France has remained a committed partner in Pakistan’s public health sector. Since 2024, the Agence Française de Développement (AFD) has been supporting Pakistan’s national polio eradication programme by helping secure vaccine supplies and strengthening nationwide vaccination campaigns aimed at reaching every child.
The gathering provided an opportunity for global partners to review ongoing progress, discuss remaining challenges, and reaffirm their collective determination to eradicate polio, particularly in the last two endemic countries where the disease continues to circulate.
Pakistan has made notable progress in recent years through coordinated vaccination drives, improved disease surveillance, community engagement, and stronger collaboration between federal and provincial authorities with international partners.
However, health experts believe that sustained commitment, adequate financing, and uninterrupted immunisation campaigns remain essential to completely eliminate the virus.
Speaking on the occasion, Prime Minister’s Focal Person on Polio Eradication and Chairperson of the National Commission on the Rights of Child, Ayesha Raza Farooq, expressed appreciation for France’s continued partnership with Pakistan’s polio programme.
“We are grateful for the consistent support of Agence Française de Développement (AFD) and the Ambassade de France au Pakistan (French Embassy in Pakistan) to Pakistan’s polio programme.”
“Their valuable partnership has played an important role in strengthening vaccine supplies and supporting immunisation campaigns across the country. Together with our global partners, we remain committed to ensuring that every child is protected from polio and that Pakistan achieves a polio-free future,” she said.
She emphasized that Pakistan values the unwavering support of international development partners, adding that their contributions have significantly strengthened the country’s capacity to reach vulnerable children, particularly in high-risk and remote areas.
Ayesha Raza Farooq said the government remains fully committed to achieving the complete eradication of poliovirus through coordinated national efforts, robust surveillance systems, and enhanced community engagement.
Participants also acknowledged the critical role played by frontline health workers, vaccinators, community mobilisers, and volunteers who continue to work tirelessly, often under difficult circumstances, to ensure children receive life-saving polio vaccines.
The French Ambassador welcomed the participants and reaffirmed France’s commitment to global health initiatives and Pakistan’s polio eradication efforts. The informal meeting underscored the importance of maintaining momentum and strengthening international cooperation until polio is eradicated worldwide.
The Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) remains one of the world’s largest public health partnerships, bringing together governments, international organizations, donors, and civil society to eliminate the disease through vaccination, surveillance, and rapid outbreak response.
Health experts at the meeting stressed that while remarkable progress has been achieved globally over the past three decades, continued vigilance and sustained investment are essential to prevent any resurgence of the virus.
The meeting concluded with a renewed commitment from all partners to continue working closely with the Government of Pakistan to ensure that every child is reached with life-saving vaccines and that the shared goal of a polio-free world is achieved at the earliest.
