Pakistan must celebrate individuals like Dr. Shahzad Baig who has been recognized in Time magazine’s prestigious TIME100 HEALTH list for his leadership in country’s Polio Eradication Programme.
Dr. Baig, the Coordinator of the National Emergency Center for Polio Eradication, remained instrumental in efforts to combat polio – one of the most key challenges in South Asian.
Before leading the anti-polio campaign in Pakistan, he played a key role in Nigeria’s successful polio eradication initiative, which led to the country being declared polio-free in 2020.
Time magazine commended Dr. Baig’s leadership in Pakistan. In profile of Dr. Baig, Time’s editor, Jeffrey Kluger highlights the significant progress made in reducing polio cases in Pakistan since Dr. Baig took charge.
Kluger also praises Dr. Baig’s efforts in the face of challenges such as attacks on polio workers by extremists.
Dr. Baig’s leadership has seen the deployment of 400,000 vaccinators and 80,000 security personnel to vaccinate over 90 million children in Pakistan, with more vaccinations planned for the future.
His inclusion in the TIME100 HEALTH list is a testament to his dedication to the cause of polio eradication in Pakistan, as acknowledged by the Pakistan Polio Eradication Programme on its social media handle.
