Editorial
Pakistan and Afghanistan remain the last polio-endemic countries in the world. WHO, with UNICEF and other key partners of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, supports the Government of Pakistan in polio eradication efforts to ensure that Pakistan achieves polio-free status.
A child receives polio drops at Expanded Programme on Immunization centres in several parts of Pakistan, and Pakistan must become a polio-free country.
Polio is a crippling disease with no cure, but there is a safe and effective vaccine. Therefore, the strategy to eradicate polio is based on preventing infection by immunizing every child until transmission stops. In Pakistan, the programme vaccinates over 40 million children during each national immunization day campaign through more than 285 000 frontline workers. It targets high-risk areas with subnational immunization in areas where particular focus is required to interrupt polio circulation.
Starting from late 2018, Pakistan saw a resurgence of cases and increased spread of polio, highlighting the fragility of gains achieved in the preceding three years. Furthermore, the COVID-19 pandemic posed new challenges requiring the programme to swiftly and continuously adjust polio campaign operational modalities to ensure the safety of frontline workers and the community. The programme is focussed on high-risk areas, i.e. core reservoirs, Central Pakistan and south Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. It is continuously redefining its geographic focus to ensure the interruption of polio transmission.
Over the past two years, Pakistan has decreased the number of reported cases from 147 in 2019 to 84 in 2020. The cases will be further reduced in 2021-2023.
The first polio campaign of the year 2023 has been formally inaugurated. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has inaugurated it. During this campaign, polio drops will be administered to children aged five years and below across Pakistan. On the occasion of the inauguration, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed his determination to make Pakistan polio-free through joint efforts.
But unfortunately, the country is still among the few countries with the polio virus, and 20 cases have been reported during the last year. Out of which, seventeen have come up in North Waziristan only. Despite regularly conducting polio campaigns, the emergence of new polio cases is a cause for concern for Pakistani authorities.
After such a large number of polio cases have been reported from North Waziristan, the government has now declared not only North Waziristan but also the adjoining areas of South Waziristan, Lakki Marwat and Bannu as polio sensitive, and despite this, in these areas. There are frequent attacks of poliomyelitis, ensuring that polio campaigns are conducted in these areas. After the government’s efforts and the dedication of polio workers, parents now must give their children regular polio drops to protect them from life-long disability.
The government also must organize successful polio campaigns and spread awareness among parents so that Pakistan can be made polio-free this year, i.e. 2023. Social institutions must come forward and educate the people that the population must take polio drops. All administrative and organizational organizations should also impose the state’s writ to ensure the security and completion of the polio programmes and projects. The nation must rise to the occasion and make Pakistan a polio-free country.
