The International Monitoring Board has appreciated Pakistan’s progress in controlling the poliovirus despite complex challenges faced by the immunisation programme, Pakistan Today reported.

The appreciation came at a virtual meeting of the IMB that was attended by IMB Chair Sir Liam Donaldson and its members, and all international experts in polio eradication and public health.

Special Assistant to Prime Minister on National Health Services, Dr Faisal Sultan, in his inaugural speech at the meeting, said that despite the complex challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic, Pakistan is optimistic about controlling polio before the end of next year.

Earlier in August, the IMB in its assessment of the global polio eradication programme warned that if Pakistan does not adopt transformative measures to eradicate poliovirus from the country in the next six months, the situation could become dire.

(SAM)