KARACHI, July 13: Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ibad urged political leaders, teachers, religious scholars and people from all other walks of life to jointly struggle for eradication of polio from the province.

Presiding over a high-level meeting at Governor's House on Tuesday, he directed the authorities concerned to monitor routine vaccination and immunization programmes for eradication of polio and other such diseases besides special campaigns launched for these purposes.

During the meeting, which was held in connection with the ongoing six-day polio eradication campaign in the province, the governor announced an award for the best performing district administration during the eradication of polio campaign.

He said that the government had pledged to get the province rid of polio by the end of this year and expressed hope that district administrations would cooperate with provincial administration in this regard. "We will have to accelerate our efforts to reach the destination, as it is only a few paces away now," he added.

Dr Ibad expressed hope that the country would soon be excluded from the list of countries - Nigeria, Niger, India, Afghanistan and Egypt - where polio cases were still being surfaced.

Lauding the role played by the World Health Organization, UNICEF and other foreign and local health organizations in eradication of polio from Pakistan, he stressed that Pakistanis should accelerate their efforts instead of relying on others for eradication of polio.

Dr Fateen Kamil, WHO representative in Pakistan, praised the governor's efforts for eradication of polio and said that Sindh was a "fortunate" province to have governor like him.

"The way the governor is taking interest in eradication of polio from the province, is indeed commendable," she said. Dr Asif Aslam Farkhi and high-ups of provincial health department also praised the governor for holding meeting with nazims and seeking their cooperation in eradication of polio campaign.

Health Adviser Faisal Gabol, Secretary Aashiq Hussain Memon, Director-General Hussain Bukhsh Memon and other concerned officials of health department also attended the meeting.

CABINET: Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ibad has asked the members of the provincial cabinet to ensure the process of self-accountability. He was addressing the cabinet meeting at Governor's House after administering oath to four new ministers and seven advisers.