ISLAMABAD: While the country has not reported any polio case for around 15 months, the Pakistan Cricket Board ramped up support for polio eradication by dedicating the second day of the Lahore Test against Australia to raising awareness against the virus.

Under its Corporate Social Responsibility partnership with the Polio Programme, the PCB facilitated various awareness-raising activities, including a shout-out by the players, promoting awareness messages, honouring polio workers and polio survivors and ensuring their free access to the match.

“Cricketers, as national heroes are role models for the children and youth of Pakistan,” Dr Shahzad Baig, Coordinator of the National Emergency Operations Centre for Polio Eradication, said in a statement.

“I am so pleased and proud they are supporting the national mission of polio eradication and hope that their messages will reach some of the country’s hard to reach areas. I believe our work together with the PCB will help to reach parents and caregivers with an important message on vaccination. No child should ever be paralysed by Polio because it is a disease that can easily be prevented by a very safe vaccine.” he added.

PCB chairman Ramiz Raja assured full support of the country’s cricket governing body including the Pakistan players and officials to the Polio Programme.

“The PCB is committed to play its role,” Ramiz said. “Together, we can bowl out polio by focusing more on awareness-raising and promoting a culture of vaccine acceptance.”

While acknowledging the contributions of polio workers he added: “The entire Nation is proud of all polio workers for their commitment and hard work despite challenges in reaching every child across Pakistan.”

Pakistan recently marked a significant milestone with no wild polio case reported in the last 14 months, though the virus is still present in some parts of the country, and therefore it is a threat to all children in Pakistan.

Pakistan and Afghanistan are the only two countries left with the polio virus; and there is still an imminent risk of the polio virus to any unvaccinated child on either side of the border.

Published in Dawn, March 23rd, 2022