Rai Joins Fight Against Polio Campaign

Bollywood star Aishwarya Rai has kick-started a campaign to increase the number of children immunised against polio in Pakistan.

The Indian actress and Pakistan pop star JAWAD AHMED are acting as ambassadors in the fight against the disease in each others' countries - after being chosen by Asian health ministers at a World Health Organisation (WHO) meeting.

India and Pakistan are among the countries with the highest number of cases of the illness in the world.

Pakistan health minister MOHAMMED NASIR KHAN says, "We have to fight together against the virus which has crippled many children in India and Pakistan.

"Both the countries plan to eradicate the disease by December 2006."