PM Shehbaz reaffirms commitment to child health, polio eradication amid UNICEF delegation call on

ISLAMABAD, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 30th Apr, 2026) Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday reaffirmed the government’s commitment to safeguarding children’s health, prioritising polio eradication and addressing environmental risks such as lead exposure.

He expressed these views during a meeting with a delegation of the UNICEF led by its Pakistan Representative Pernille Ironside at the Prime Minister’s Office, a news release said.

Welcoming the delegation, the prime minister said the government was taking priority measures to secure the future of children. He reiterated that Pakistan considered polio eradication a top national priority and remained determined to eliminate the disease from the country.

He noted that exposure to lead posed serious risks to children’s physical and mental development, adding that the government would take all possible steps to address the issue in collaboration with international partners.

Members of the delegation appreciated the government’s efforts under the prime minister’s leadership to protect children from diseases, including polio, and improve health and development outcomes.

They briefed the meeting on findings from their recent survey visit, identifying areas affected by lead exposure in Pakistan and emphasising the need to raise public awareness about its harmful effects.

The participants also acknowledged the government’s initiatives in health, education, youth development and information technology, terming them important for the country’s future.

The delegation included Director of the Lead-Free Future Secretariat Abdullah Fadil and experts from Stanford University school of Medicine Jenna Forsyth and Thomas Hird. Federal Ministers Ahsan Iqbal, Mustafa Kamal and Ayesha Raza Farooq, along with senior officials, were also present.