HE Dr Mohammed Salim Al Olama, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Health and Prevention (MoHAP), emphasized that the World Polio Day, commemorated on October 24 annually, represents a significant occasion to highlight the UAE's efforts in battling this malady both regionally and globally, following its successful eradication locally.
Al Olama lauded the philanthropic initiatives launched by President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan to bolster global efforts towards polio eradication, notably through vaccination drives in various countries, something which reflects the forward-looking vision of our wise leadership and the pivotal strides taken by the UAE to eradicate polio globally.
He noted that the UAE has become an example to follow in managing polio through innovative plans and strategies executed by the Ministry of Health and Prevention, alongside its domestic partners. This includes the deployment of a robust polio surveillance system and comprehensive vaccination coverage.
He emphasized that the UAE’s endeavours have yielded positive results in addressing the disease, as the country has not recorded any cases of polio since the early nineties of the last century and continues to enforce all requisite measures to eradicate it through a national response plan. This plan is primed to tackle any suspected case originating from outside the country, managing it in alignment with international best practices.