KARACHI: Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has stressed that protecting every child against polio is a collective responsibility, regardless of where they live or their family’s economic circumstances. He said no child should be left without vaccination because of poverty, difficult living conditions or frequent migration.

In a message issued by the Media Cell of Bilawal House on World Polio Day, Bilawal said every polio vaccination campaign should be followed by efforts to identify children who missed the vaccine, determine the reasons and ensure they are reached in subsequent visits.

He emphasized that every child missed during a vaccination campaign represents a family whose hopes and future deserve protection. He said the fight against polio cannot succeed unless vaccination teams make every effort to reach children who remain unvaccinated.

Bilawal said building parents’ trust must remain central to polio eradication efforts. He stressed that parents’ questions and concerns should be addressed respectfully, accurate information should be provided, and vaccination services should be delivered to communities where access to healthcare remains difficult.

Referring to the role of former prime minister Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto, Bilawal recalled that she launched a nationwide polio eradication campaign in 1994 and personally administered polio drops to her daughter, Aseefa Bhutto Zardari, to encourage public confidence in vaccination.

He said the mission initiated by Benazir Bhutto would be fulfilled when every child in Pakistan receives the same protection and healthcare opportunities that parents want for their own children.

The PPP chairman also paid tribute to polio workers, particularly female workers who visit households to administer vaccines. He said their contributions should be recognised by ensuring their safety, timely payment and dignified working conditions. He also honoured volunteers and security personnel who lost their lives during polio eradication campaigns.

Bilawal urged parents to ensure that all children under five receive polio drops during every vaccination campaign and complete their routine immunisation. He also called on the party’s elected representatives and workers to cooperate with vaccination teams and help reach families whose children miss vaccination for any reason.

He further stressed that efforts to eradicate polio must also address the needs of children and individuals living with polio-related disabilities. Access to rehabilitation services, education and equal opportunities to progress in life should remain part of the broader commitment to public health.

Bilawal said Pakistan’s goal should be to ensure that every child is protected from preventable disease and has the opportunity to live a dignified life and reach their full potential.