19 December 19 2012 - UNICEF and WHO join the Government and people of Pakistan in condemning the multiple attacks in the past week.

Those killed or injured, many of whom are women, are among hundreds of thousands of heroes who work selflessly to eradicate polio and provide other health services to children in Pakistan. Such attacks deprive children in Pakistan of their right to basic life-saving health interventions and place them at risk for a disease that causes lifelong disability.

In light of the prevailing security situation, WHO and UNICEF Pakistan are implementing additional security protocols to ensure the safety and security of their polio workers.

UNICEF, WHO and all our partners in Pakistan express our deepest sympathy to the families of the health workers who were killed or injured. We remain
committed to supporting the Government and the people of Pakistan in their efforts to rid the country of polio.

Contact:

WHO: Dr Elias Durry, Senior Coordinator for Polio
Eradication, 0300 850 8810, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

UNICEF: Azmat Abbas, Media Specialist: 0321-9454726, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it