The nation is celebrating a moment of pride as Pakistani physician Dr. Shahzad Baig earns a place on Time magazine prestigious ‘TIME100 HEALTH’ list of global healthcare leaders. Dr. Baig, serving as the national coordinator of the Pakistan Polio Eradication Programme, is leading the charge in Pakistan’s battle against polio, one of its most pressing health challenges.
Before his role in Pakistan, Dr. Baig played a pivotal role in Nigeria’s successful polio eradication efforts, contributing to the country being declared polio-free in 2020. Time magazine predicts that Pakistan will achieve a similar milestone under his leadership.
Jeffrey Kluger, a renowned editor at large of Time magazine, authored Dr. Baig’s profile, highlighting the significant reduction in polio cases since Dr. Baig’s appointment. The cases dropped from 147 in 2019 to only six in 2023, with the goal of reaching zero cases by 2026.
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Despite facing challenges like attacks on polio workers and anti-vaccination propaganda, Dr. Baig has led with unwavering determination. Kluger noted the government’s deployment of 400,000 vaccinators and 80,000 security personnel under Dr. Baig’s leadership, resulting in the inoculation of over 90 million children in a single year, with millions more planned for an upcoming campaign.
The Pakistan Polio Eradication Programme expressed pride in Dr. Baig’s recognition, emphasizing his relentless dedication to the mission of eradicating polio from Pakistan.
