- ‘Time and tide wait for none,’ PM Shehbaz tells polio workers on World Polio Day
- Hails frontline vaccinators as ‘national heroes’ of anti-polio fight, vowing to make Pakistan polio-free
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday called the continued presence of polio in Pakistan and its neighbouring country a “moment of introspection,” urging government authorities, field workers, and international partners to redouble efforts to eliminate the crippling disease once and for all.
Addressing a ceremony marking World Polio Day in Islamabad, the prime minister said the country stood at a decisive point in its decades-long fight against polio. “Let’s brace ourselves and accept the challenge. If the whole world can become polio-free except Pakistan and our neighbouring country, it’s a moment to reflect and act,” he remarked.
Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif presents awards to polio workers for the recognition of their services in the Pakistan Polio Eradication Programme, on World Polio Day in Islamabad. pic.twitter.com/pE6HoKv1aF
— Government of Pakistan (@GovtofPakistan) October 24, 2025
He urged all tiers of government and the National Polio Eradication Programme (NPEP) to “start running and achieve the trophy we all want to hold sooner rather than later,” adding that “time and tide wait for none.”
The prime minister also distributed appreciation shields among frontline polio workers, lauding their “courage, commitment, and resilience” in protecting Pakistan’s children despite working in difficult and often dangerous conditions. “The nation owes a huge debt of gratitude to these heroes,” he said.
The event was attended by Federal Minister for National Health Services Syed Mustafa Kamal, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar, Focal Person for Polio Ayesha Raza Farooq, and representatives from the World Health Organization (WHO), UNICEF, and other partner organizations.
Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif in a group photo with polio workers of the Pakistan Polio Eradication Programme who were given awards at the World Polio Day Ceremony in Islamabad. pic.twitter.com/i7mZ9Z8ux5
— Government of Pakistan (@GovtofPakistan) October 24, 2025
PM Shehbaz appreciated the “unwavering support” of international partners in helping Pakistan sustain vaccination drives and surveillance efforts. He particularly thanked Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for contributing around half a billion dollars, in collaboration with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, for polio eradication over the next few years.
“This window of opportunity is limited—let’s not waste it,” the prime minister said, stressing that the government would continue providing all necessary support to achieve a polio-free Pakistan.
He directed the health minister and focal person to intensify coordination, especially in high-risk areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, where polio transmission remains persistent. “We must work harder and bring fame to Pakistan by eradicating this disease,” he added.
براہِ راست: وزیراعظم محمد شہباز شریف کا اسلام آباد میں منعقد پولیو کے عالمی دن کی تقریب سے خطاب https://t.co/ZZ1xNvQu58
— Government of Pakistan (@GovtofPakistan) October 24, 2025
Concluding his address, the premier prayed for a “safe, healthy, and prosperous future” for all children in the country.
Pakistan remains one of only two countries in the world, alongside Afghanistan, where polio is still endemic. The most recent nationwide anti-polio campaign, conducted earlier this month, targeted over 44 million children under the age of five across all provinces and federating units.
According to official data, as of late September 2025, Pakistan reported a total of 29 polio cases for the year 2025, with the most recent cases confirmed in Sindh province. These cases include 18 from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, nine from Sindh, and one each from Punjab and Gilgit-Baltistan.
Health officials say intensified door-to-door campaigns, enhanced environmental surveillance, and cross-border coordination with Afghan authorities are part of the renewed national strategy to stop transmission by the end of next year.
