ISLAMABAD: The health departments of Pakistan and United Arab Emirates (UAE) are considering celebrating the World Polio Day this year in a grand manner.

This was stated at a meeting attended by health minister Dr Nadeem Jan and UAE Ambassador Hamad Obaid Ibrahim Salim Al-Zaabi on Thursday.

The ambassador met the minister to present a joint invitation letter from the UAE minister of health and prevention, UAE sspecial envoy for climate change and the director general WHO on the forthcoming 28th Conference of the Parties (COP28) to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change to be held in Nov-Dec in Dubai Expo City.

According to a statement, Dr Jan said eradication of polio was very close to his heart and hence he wished the task to be completed by the end of this year.

“I have tasked the polio programme leadership with making efforts in realising this goal. I am devoting major part of my efforts to polio eradication and we are already working on an emergency initiative to stop polio,” he said.

The health minister and the UAE ambassador expressed the desire to celebrate World Polio Day this year in a grand manner on October 24.

Secretary Health Iftikhar Ali Shallwani was also present at the meeting.

The minister said the UAE was Pakistan’s strong and valuable partner, and that the brotherly relations between the two countries were bound to strengthen in the times to come.

Ambassador Al-Zaabi said appointment of a top public health specialist as the health minister reflected the seriousness of Pakistan.

“UAE leadership is interested in establishing health projects that serve the Pakistani people and looking for the possibilities of forging joint partnerships in the healthcare sector,” he added.

Published in Dawn, August 25th, 2023