ZonG and UNICEF Join Hands to Defeat Polio in Pakistan

ZonG and UNICEF use mobile phone messaging service to help eradicate polio in the
high risk areas of Pakistan

Sameer Nazir
KARACHI:
As the number of polio cases in Pakistan reached 49 so far this year more partners come forward to protect the children and rid Pakistan and the world of the menace of the this debilitating disease.
To create an enabling environment for polio eradication in Pakistan, ZonG and UNICEF signed today a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on strengthening the use of mobile phone messages to ensure more children are vaccinated during the polio campaign.
The widespread usage and viability of cell phones across Pakistan provides great opportunity to reach out to communities who are most at risk of the disease. The mobile phone messages will specifically target polio reservoirs to enhance knowledge and to help take informed decisions. The initiative is unique in character within polio eradication efforts and polio partnership in the health sector.
“Through our strategic alliance with UNICEF, we want to make a positive impact in the life of every Pakistani child. As one of the major communication facilitators of Pakistan, ZonG underlines its commitment and responsibility to use its technological innovations to spread awareness about polio and strengthen families’ cooperation with the vaccination teams visiting their homes”, said Dr. Fan Yunjun, Chairman & CEO, ZonG
“Our partnership with ZonG will give the much needed impetus to the social mobilization and awareness raising programmes in support of polio vaccination in the virus circulation high risk areas.”, says Dan Rohrmann, UNICEF Representative in Pakistan. “This support and collaboration could not have come at a more critical time.
Pakistan is one of only three countries in the world along with by Afghanistan and Nigeria where the crippling disease remains endemic.

About Zong:
A first international step for China Mobile, Zong aims at touching the lives of all Pakistanis!
We serve to inspire and empower the people of Pakistan with innovative technology that keeps pace with today’s fast evolving culture. Expanding our wings of coverage to all corners, making no distinctions along the way and most of all, maintaining excellence in connectivity everywhere we go. Affordability & Innovation are what define us, aided with a diverse set of entertaining and informative Value Added Services. With a state of the art system, along with other services Zong allows and enables its users to avail the best possible Mobile Internet bundles that are not offered anywhere else in the country making the experience, truly a unique one!

About UNICEF:
UNICEF promotes the rights and wellbeing of every child, in everything we do. Together with our partners, we work in 190 countries and territories to translate that commitment into practical action, focusing special effort on reaching the most vulnerable and excluded children, to the benefit of all children, everywhere.



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