Pakistani doctor included in Time’s 100 influential people in health

Dr Shahzad Baig, the national coordinator of the Pakistan Polio Eradication Programme, has been included in the list of 100 world leaders in the field of health by Time magazine, bringing honor to the healthcare community in the South Asian nation.

Being listed in the ‘TIME100 HEALTH’ as one of the most important figures in the profession, Dr. Baig receives much-needed credit for his leadership and national polio-eradication efforts, making the honor a noteworthy international accomplishment for Pakistan.

He was a technical adviser for Nigeria’s successful polio eradication program before moving to Pakistan to spearhead anti-polio activities; Nigeria was certified polio-free in 2020. Time claims that Pakistan would be the next country to be free of polio under his leadership.

Dr Baig’s profile on Time has been penned by Jeffrey Kluger, the editor at large at the American magazine, known for his coverage of space, science, and climate.

“In 2019, polio disabled or killed 147 people in Pakistan; since Baig assumed the position, in 2021, case counts have plummeted, with only six children stricken in 2023. The goal is to bring that number to zero by 2026,” Kluger wrote, praising the Pakistani medic.

Baig, according to Kluger, has remained at the forefront of ending polio in Pakistan in the context of extremists attacking polio workers and propagating against polio vaccination.

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