The Pakistani government is taking a novel approach to raising public awareness about polio by using locally produced truck art to help prevent the spread of the crippling virus.
The Pakistani government is taking a novel approach to raising public awareness about the polio by using locally produced truck art to help prevent the spread of the crippling virus.
Federal Minister for National Health Services said on Friday, at the launch of a new anti-polio campaign that the government would print public service messages in local languages on trucks travelling through Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Afghanistan to educate the population.
He said that truck art was a unique and deep-rooted part of Pakistan’s cultural heritage, which “will be now used for a cause to eradicate polio through educating people in high-risk areas”. The government uses truck art to raise polio awareness.
He stated that the various appealing and persuasive messages about the polio and the importance of vaccination would be printed on the trucks in the four provinces’ local languages for public understanding.
“We are working to develop a comprehensive strategy for polio eradication in the country. All available resources will be used for this purpose “According to minister.
He stated, “Vaccination is the most effective way to protect children from polio, despite the fact that there is no cure. Each time a child under the age of five is immunized, their immunity to the virus improves “.
He claimed that repeated immunizations had protected millions of children from polio, allowing almost all countries in the world, with the exception of Pakistan and Afghanistan, to become polio-free.
Minister stated, “Vaccinating all children under the age of five is the only way to stop the virus. It is critical that parents and carers ensure that their children are immunized, especially in high-risk areas.” “It is critical to detect the virus in the environment as soon as possible in order to protect the children from being paralysed by the polio virus,” he said.