Ashton Kutcher praises Pakistani polio worker performing duty in harsh snow

By
Web Desk
|
The actor shared a video of the polio worker, which had gone viral on social media, calling him ‘a hero’/ file photo

Hollywood famous actor Ashton Kutcher praised on Wednesday Pakistani polio worker Irfanullah, who braced harsh snowy weather to vaccinate children in far-flung areas.

The actor shared a video of the polio worker, which had gone viral on social media, calling him ‘a hero’. 

Pictures and videos of polio worker Irfan struggling to walk in knee-deep snow to perform his duty in Swat recently went viral, as people praised the man’s determination and commitment to his work.

Prime Minister Imran also tweeted out a tribute for Irfan. "Irfan is one of 260,000 heroes who reach out to children with polio vaccines in extreme weather conditions. His viral video has left every individual with a sense of awe & pride. This dedication is what will enable us to achieve our goal of a polio free nation," the premier wrote.

Even UNICEF Pakistan, in a tweet, also appreciated the long-distance travel of polio workers..

A number of polio workers have been attacked and even assassinated in the country, as Pakistan continues to battle polio for the past several years.

Polio, or poliomyelitis, is a crippling childhood disease caused by the polio virus and preventable through immunisation. Affecting mostly children under the age of five, polio — which has no cure and can only be prevented by giving a child multiple vaccine doses — can lead to irreversible paralysis.

Countrywide polio eradication drive was launched on January 21. More than 39 million children under the age of five will receive two drops of the vaccine which will protect them against the polio virus. At least 260,000 polio workers and more than 31,000 teams are participating in the drive.