States that Pakistan will continue to work closely with international partners to improve child health outcomes
A delegation from the Lead-Free Future Partnership and UNICEF visited Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. Photo:X
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday underlined the government’s commitment to protecting children’s health, prioritizing polio eradication and tackling the growing risks of lead exposure through coordinated national and international efforts.
He expressed these views during a meeting with a delegation from the Partnership for a Lead-Free Future and UNICEF at the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO).
According to the Prime Minister’s Office statement, welcoming the delegation, the Prime Minister said the government was taking priority measures to safeguard the future of children, adding that Pakistan remained fully committed to eliminating polio from the country.
He said lead exposure posed serious risks to the physical and mental development of children and described it as a major public health challenge, assuring that all possible measures would be taken to mitigate its impact.
UNICEF (UNICEF) and humanitarian organizations
It’s a matter of trust for Pernille Ironside. جبکہ سیسے سے پاک مستقبل کے سیکٹریٹ کے ڈائیریکٹر عبداللہ فاضل، (Jenna… pic.twitter.com/LHu0nWuqA3
– PTV News (@PTVNewsOfficial) April 30, 2026
The Prime Minister emphasized that Pakistan would continue to work closely with its international partners to prevent lead exposure and improve children’s health outcomes.
The delegation included Abdullah Fadil, Director of the Lead-Free Future Secretariat, Pernille Ironside, UNICEF Representative in Pakistan, as well as experts from the Stanford University School of Medicine, Jenna Forsyth and Thomas Hird. Federal Ministers Ahsan Iqbal, Mustafa Kamal and Ayesha Raza Farooq, along with senior officials, were also present.
The delegation appreciated the efforts of the government under the leadership of the Prime Minister to protect children from diseases, including polio, and improve health and development indicators.
They briefed the meeting on the results of their recent survey, identifying areas affected by lead exposure in Pakistan and highlighting the need for increased public awareness of its harmful effects.
Read more: PM Shehbaz reaffirms commitment to eradicate polio as cases decline sharply in 2026
The participants also recognized the government’s initiatives in the areas of health, education, youth development and information technology, terming them as important steps towards sustainable national development.
