ISLAMABAD: As the international community observes World Polio Day today, the First Lady of Pakistan Bibi Aseefa Bhutto Zardari reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to eradicating polio and protecting every child from preventable diseases. The first lady, in her message on the Day, said that Pakistan had made steady progress against polio, but the task was not yet complete. She noted that the remaining cases reminded everyone that this was not only a health issue but a shared national duty. “Each child missed is a child at risk,” she said, calling for efforts to reach every home and community with the polio vaccine. Recalling the legacy of Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto, who launched Pakistan’s first nationwide polio eradication campaign in 1994, the first lady said that her vision continued to guide national efforts to eliminate the disease. First Lady Aseefa Bhutto said that she felt a deep personal connection to Pakistan’s polio eradication journey, recalling that the campaign was first launched by her mother, Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto, who as Prime Minister personally administered the first polio drops to her. DNA
