ISLAMABAD, Jan 23: Federal health minister Mohammad Nasir Khan has reiterated the government's commitment to eradicate polio by the end of this year.

The minister, who is also member of the World Health Organization's board executive committee, was speaking at the 113th session of the board. The minister highlighted the "double burden" of diseases, which was eating away the meagre resources in the country's health sector. He asked the board to approve the budget for advocacy and support of the healthy life style to ward off the threat of non-communicable diseases.

The minister asked the participants to show commitment to peace which was fundamental to the promotion of health and prevention of diseases. "Why do we need to save children from early death through vaccination and other strategies if we kill them by bombing and mining when they grow up?", he asked.