Ulema win praise for their role in polio eradication

Islamabad
Religious scholars have played a laudable role in Pakistan’s fight against polio. Now as Pakistan inches closer to the finish line, they need to intensify their advocacy role in furthering the noble cause of saving children from the crippling disease in line with Islamic principles.
The secretary of health Muhammad Ayub Sheikh expressed these views while addressing a Polio Orientation and Health Awareness Workshop of Ulema here Saturday. The purpose of the workshop was to involve religious stakeholders in polio orientation in a bid to increase coverage of polio vaccination and to reach refusals and missed children in difficult parts of the country. The workshop was attended by 82 ulema from different religious sects, as well as representatives of the Ministry of Health, Emergency Operations Cell, UNICEF and WHO.
Ayub Sheikh expressed his ministry’s commitment to make all-out efforts for complete eradication of polio. He said, the government’s National Action Plan has had a major impact in reaching inaccessible children in security compromise areas. “To defeat polio, everyone including religious leaders, civil society, government functionaries, opinion leaders and parents will have to play their role,” he stated.
Haji Muhammed Hanif Tayyab, chair of Pakistan Polio Plus Ulema Committee said, there is consensus among all ulema that polio vaccination does not harm children, and that it is safe and approved by the Organization of Islamic Council. He elaborated on each decision taken in the Islamabad Declaration, and quoted, that Islam has termed the health of children as the prime responsibility of parents.
The national chair of Pakistan Polio Plus Committee Aziz Memon spoke on Rotary’s objective and mission to eradicate polio worldwide. He said, there has been an 80% reduction in polio cases in 2015 as compared to cases reported in the corresponding period during 2014. “We are now much closer to kicking out polio from our country, and therefore, extra efforts need to be made through our learned religious scholars and ulema at the district, Union Council and grassroots levels. Special attention needs to be accorded to y Pashtun communities migrating from South Waziristan to other parts of the country through border areas of KPK and Balochistan,” he said.
The coordinator of Emergency Operation Cell Rana Safdar mentioned that the presence of poliovirus in environmental samples has declined from 54% to 19%.