Summary PM Shehbaz met UNICEF delegation, discussed polio eradication and harmful effects of lead on children’s health and development in Pakistan.
ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) - Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif met a UNICEF delegation and welcomed them to Pakistan.
The delegation was led by UNICEF Representative in Pakistan Pernille Ironside and included Abdullah Fadil, Director of the Secretariat for a Lead-Free Future, along with Jenna Forsyth and Thomas Hird from Stanford University School of Medicine.
Federal ministers Ahsan Iqbal, Mustafa Kamal and Ayesha Raza Farooq, along with senior officials, also attended the meeting.
The prime minister said the government was taking priority measures to secure the future of children, adding that Pakistan remained committed to eradicating polio.
He noted that lead exposure causes mental and physical developmental issues in children and described it as a major challenge requiring urgent action.
Shehbaz Sharif said the government was determined to work with international partners to prevent the harmful effects of lead.
Delegation members thanked the prime minister and briefed the meeting on their recent survey in Pakistan.
They appreciated efforts under his leadership to protect children from diseases, including polio, and highlighted measures for child health and development.
The delegation also briefed the prime minister on the harmful effects of lead and identified affected areas in Pakistan, stressing the need for public awareness.
