RAWALPINDI: MNA Tahira Aurangzeb has called polio workers ‘our heroes’, saying their dedication and hard work are playing a vital role in protecting children and keeping Punjab free of poliovirus.
Speaking at a ceremony held at the Deputy Commissioner’s office in Rawalpindi to honour polio workers, she said vaccination teams continue to visit households in challenging weather conditions to vaccinate children and address parents’ concerns about vaccination.
“Polio workers are our heroes. They go door-to-door in the heat and sun to protect children from a crippling disease,” she said, stressing that mistreatment of polio workers would not be tolerated.
She directed that action should be taken against those who misbehave with or obstruct polio workers, saying frontline workers must be provided a safe and respectful environment to perform their duties.
Ms Aurangzeb said the hard work of polio workers, health officials and partners had contributed to significant progress towards keeping Punjab free of poliovirus. She noted that all environmental samples in Punjab were currently negative, but warned that the movement of populations continued to pose a risk of poliovirus re-emerging in the province.
“Every eligible child must be vaccinated in every campaign to ensure that the virus does not find an opportunity to spread,” she said.
Chief Minister Punjab’s Focal Person on Polio Uzma Kardar said the Punjab government, under the leadership of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif, remained committed to achieving the complete eradication of polio.
“The chief minister has given us the task of eradicating polio, and we are working with all relevant departments and partners to achieve this goal,” she said.
Referring to the recent poliovirus detection in Rawalpindi, Ms Kardar said the virus detected in the environment had originated from Afghanistan, highlighting the continued risk of virus importation through population movement.
She said the province must maintain pressure against poliovirus and continue vaccination efforts to protect children from imported virus. She also stressed the need to counter rumours and misinformation surrounding polio vaccination.
“With the support of doctors, we will address misinformation and rumours about polio and help parents make informed decisions about protecting their children,” she said.
Punjab Polio Programme head Khalid Parvaiz said the dedication of polio workers would ultimately lead to the desired results.
“Our polio workers are working tirelessly to protect every child. Their hard work will bear fruit,” he said, reiterating the programme’s goal of maintaining zero polio cases in Punjab in 2026 and working towards complete eradication in 2027. He said the next special anti-polio campaign in Punjab would begin on September 21, urging parents to ensure that every child under five receives the polio vaccine.
Children were on the occasion administered polio vaccine drops, while high-performing polio workers were presented with awards in recognition of their dedication and contribution to the eradication effort.
Published in Dawn, September 20th, 2026
