ISLAMABAD: While hailing the services of polio wor­kers across the country, Health Minister Abdul Qadir Patel on Monday renewed government’s commitment to end the transmission of the crippling virus this year.

“Polio workers, as always, have served Pakistan above and beyond their call of duty and we must ensure that af­­fected families receive this assistance as soon as possible. The winters are upon us, and it is crucial to support them in rebuilding their homes,” Minister Patel said while speaking at an event at the National Emer­gency Ope­rations Centre (NEOC), held to hand over cheques for flood-hit polio workers to coordinators of operations centres in three provinces.

In Sindh, the process has been completed in 22 affected districts.

“On this first working day of the year, I want to thank polio workers for their services to the children of Pakistan and reiterate the government’s commitment to end the transmission of polio in 2023,” he said.

The polio programme conducted an assessment of the damages that polio workers suffered due to unpreceden­ted rains and floods. The financial support is for those polio workers whose homes were either washed away in the floods or partially damaged.

NEOC Coordinator Shah­zad Baig said Rs250 million would be given to frontline polio workers affected by floods around the country.

Published in Dawn, january 3th, 2023