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'Polio-free status for Gujarat: Important milestone'

'Polio-free status for Gujarat: Important milestone'

Written by Agencies |Published : January 12, 2015 12:00 PM IST

Gandhinagar, Jan 11: The achievement of a polio-free status by India, including Gujarat, was an important milestone in health indicators for the South-East Asia region, Ban Soon-taek wife of United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said Sunday. Ban Soon-taek congratulated the national, state and local governments for their strong will and painstaking efforts to drive out polio at a function to celebrate Gujarat's polio-free status.

'I also commend the tireless efforts of health workers who had to travel long distances to ensure that every child received the oral polio vaccine - not once but multiple times in a year and for many, many years,' she added. Ban Soon-taek and Nata Menabde, WHO representative to India felicitated the state officials for their role in polio eradication at a special event. (Read: India s polio-free but we shouldn t get complacent)

Thanking WHO for this special honour, Gujarat Health Minister Nitinbhai Patel said: 'For Gujarat, every child is precious and we will further step up our efforts to secure the health and well-being of every child in the state.' 'We are also working on further strengthening the health system for health and equity in the state,' he added.

Menabde said: 'India's fight against polio exemplifies the spirit and determination of its people and is an embodiment of dedication, innovation and synergy. India is polio-free due to the painstaking efforts of each one of you present here. You have not just created history but gifted an entire generation of this country a life free of polio.' (Read: India should help other contries eradicate polio: Pranab Mukherjee)

Source: IANS

Photo source: Getty images

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