PESHAWAR, (APP – UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News – 28th Aug, 2026) Chief Secretary Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Shohab Ali Shah, on Friday reiterated that the provincial government was fully committed to complete eradication of polio from the region, terming it a top public health priority.
In a step toward this goal, the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, in collaboration with United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF), organized a day-long awareness workshop for Deputy Commissioners of 22 priority districts across the province.
The session was designed to bolster district-level strategies for polio eradication, routine immunization, and integrated service delivery.
Addressing the participants, the Chief Secretary emphasized that the elimination of polio required coordinated efforts at every tier of administration. He appreciated the role of Deputy Commissioners as frontline commanders in the anti-polio drive and urged them to ensure 100 percent coverage during upcoming vaccination campaigns. He also directed officials to address vaccine hesitancy through community engagement and religious leaders’ involvement.
The workshop provided a platform for senior health officials and district administrations to share best practices, review performance data, and identify challenges in high-risk union councils.
Special focus was placed on improving routine immunization coverage, which remained critical to sustaining gains made against the virus. UNICEF representatives reiterated their technical and logistical support to the provincial government and commended KP’s progress in reducing environmental samples positive for the poliovirus.
Concluding the workshop, the EOC Coordinator thanked UNICEF and the district administrations for their unwavering dedication. He reaffirmed that the government would leave no stone unturned to protect every child from lifelong disability caused by polio. He called upon media, civil society, and local influencers to play their proactive role in spreading awareness and countering misinformation.
With consistent political will, technical partnerships, and grassroots mobilization, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa remained on track to achieve the shared national vision of a polio-free Pakistan, officials expressed with confidence.
