ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Super League (PSL) titans Multan Sultans joined hands with the Pakistan Polio Eradication Programme to support the cause of polio eradication in the country.

Under an initiative led by Punjab Emergency Operations Centre Coordinator Khizer Afzaal, a memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed between Multan Sultans and the National Emergency Operations Centre (NEOC) for Polio Eradication at an event in Islamabad.

According to a statement released by the polio programme on Saturday, Multan Sultans General Manager Hijab Zahid and NEOC Coordinator Dr Shahzad Baig signed the MoU in the presence of senior polio programme leadership and members of the Multan Sultans.

“We are grateful to Multan Sultans for partnering with us in this critical mission to eradicate polio from Pakistan,” said Dr Baig, adding it was a critical partnership at the time when the country was close to eradicating polio.

“This partnership highlights how collaboration between sports and public health programmes can help make a difference for generations to come, leveraging the influence of athletes to promote the health and wellbeing of all citizens,” he said.

Dr Baig added, “Cricket unites our people beyond anything. The support of world-renowned cricketers will help drive the polio eradication message in all homes in the country and build the crucial goodwill for the polio programme that is essential to ensure that no child misses this vaccine and remains safe from polio.”

“We have entered this partnership to use the pull and popularity of cricket and Multan Sultans to create awareness around the curse of polio virus,” said Ms Zahid.

“Cricket is the most followed sport and we want to use it as a vehicle to take the message of polio eradication to every home in Pakistan.”

Ms Zahid said polio workers were true heroes and Multan Sultans were grateful for the tremendous work they did to make generations healthy.

“With their unwavering resolve and efforts, we will bowl out polio from Pakistan,” she added.

Under this partnership, Multan Sultans will be a rallying voice for polio eradication in Pakistan during the ongoing season of the Pakistan Super League.

The polio programme’s logo is being featured on the helmets of the team while players will also be recording video messages advocating for vaccination.

Polio is a highly infectious disease caused by poliovirus mainly affecting children under the age of five years. It invades the nervous system and can causes paralysis or even death. While there is no cure for polio, vaccination is the most effective way to protect children from the crippling disease.

Each time a child under the age of five is vaccinated, their protection against the virus is increased. Repeated immunisations have protected millions of children from polio, allowing almost all countries to become polio-free except for Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Published in Dawn, March 12th, 2024