2 May 2013 – Mr Iqrar Ahmad, a polio vaccinator received a polio hero award from Dr Altaf Bosan from the Expanded Programme on Immunization and Dr Elias Durry As Mr Iqrar Ahmad receives his award he says that his true moment of celebration will come when polio is finally eradicated from Pakistanof the WHO polio programme for an act of bravery in which he was physically attacked while carrying out vaccinations in a recent polio vaccination campaign.

Mr Ahmad said that he would continue to serve his homeland and that there was a long way to go but hopefully polio would be eradicated from Pakistan. “I have worked for almost 30 years now and will keep on working until we defeat polio. I am very thankful to my supervisors and the Organization for awarding me this certificate.

Several incidents occurred in 2012 in which polio eradication workers were shot and killed and others injured while supporting the implementation and monitoring of vaccination campaigns.

The Global Polio Eradication Initiative was launched in 1988 by the health ministers of WHO Member States. The Initiative has been successful in stopping the transmission of this crippling disease in all but three countries of the world, including Pakistan.

Except for Pakistan, Afghanistan and Nigeria, Muslim communities and countries everywhere have eradicated polio, including in 54 out of 57 member states of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) that have successfully interrupted transmission of wild poliovirus. This has been achieved through the application of proven eradication strategies, the administration of the safe oral polio vaccine and with financial and political support from the Islamic world.

Related links

Regional polio eradication initiative

Religious leaders help in changing misconceptions about the polio vaccine