ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: The Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi has assured World Health Organization (WHO) of full support in polio eradication and implementation of other health programmes in Pakistan.
Talking to the Director General WHO Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus in Islamabad on Tuesday, Qureshi reiterated that the government remains committed to ensure provision of quality health facilities to all people at all levels.
The director general WHO was accompanied by the WHO’s Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean Region Dr. Ahmed Al-Mandhari and the President of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation’s Global Development Division Dr. Christopher Elias.
FM Qureshi met Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director General, @WHO.
Discussions held on steps being taken for #polioeradication in #Pakistan. FM appreciated efforts by WHO for eradicating polio from Pakistan.@BillGates@melindagates #PoliofreePakistan pic.twitter.com/HCEh56KkhS— Dr Mohammad Faisal (@ForeignOfficePk) January 8, 2019
During the meeting, Dr. Tedros Adhanom briefed the foreign minister on WHO’s enhanced focus on public health, country-level impacts, ongoing programmes/projects in Pakistan aimed at improving people’s access to health related matters.
The director general WHO also shared that his organization had intensified its activities in coordination with the government of Pakistan for polio eradication. As a result of enhancement efforts, polio from Pakistan would likely be eliminated by end of 2019. He reiterated that WHO would continue its support to the efforts of government of Pakistan to improve healthcare in the Country.
Welcoming the director general WHO and his delegation to Pakistan, Shah Mahmood Qureshi said that the World Health Organization had been playing a very important role in the health sector of Pakistan.
With regards to polio eradication efforts by the government, the foreign minister emphasized that collaborative efforts at national, provincial and local levels would help in elimination of the disease and make Pakistan a zero polio Country.
