Pakistan losing battle against polio
AS the world observed Polio Day, Pakistan reported three more cases of the crippling disease. The unfortunate emergence of new cases highlights Pakistan’s struggle against polio as immunization drives suffer setbacks due to attacks by insurgents and ineffective awareness cam- paigns.
Pakistan, Nigeria and Afghanistan are the only three countries to report transmission of the poliovirus this year. A total of 12 cases have surfaced from Afghanistan, while Nigeria has only reported six cases during the current year. On the other hand, polio remains endemic in Pakistan and a total of 220 new cases have so far been reported this year alone. Pakistan has even surpassed its own record of 199 polio cases that came to light in the year 2000.
Despite being a nuclear power, Pakistan has been unable to control the outbreak of polio, which can be warded off with a vaccine costing around 60 cents.
Polio cases in Pakistan have been predominantly reported from the conservative, northwestern region. The area is notorious for influence of Pakistani Taleban and other militant groups, who are in a state of full- fledged war against the country’s military.
The battle has displaced about a million people and placed the whole country at risk of a wider epidemic. The insurgents have stepped up attacks against the immunization teams and, since 2012, killed more than 60 workers and policemen guarding them. The vaccination teams have been accused of carrying out a hidden population control agenda of the global powers.
The credibility of immunization teams was also deeply hurt by revelations that the US was able to kill Osama Bin Laden, the Al- Qaeda chief, with assistance of a local doctor involved in fake immunization drives.
The government is committed to revitalizing its efforts to counter the menace of polio otherwise it may have to face serious repercussions.
The high number of polio cases in Pakistan has already resulted in travel restrictions for Pakistanis. The polio strain from northwest Pakistan, termed as the “world’s polio capital,” has also reportedly reached parts of Syria, Egypt and Israel. In case there is any global outbreak, Pakistan is likely to face isolation from rest of the world till it shows serious commitment to overcoming the disease.
The government is all set to launch a fresh, antipolio campaign, which will be backed by additional resources and reach out to children affected by the war against militancy in Pakistan’s northwest. Under a comprehensive polio communication strategy, the authorities will be calling for immunization as a basic right of every child. Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif also recently launched a Polio Eradication Initiative to directly monitor and review the progress of polio immunization drives. The authorities are also trying to enlist support from the tribal elders of these regions to promote anti- polio campaigns.
In a rare example of expressing solidarity with government’s anti- polio efforts, some tribal leaders took the vaccination drops themselves to convince other tribesmen of getting their children vaccinated.
The key to defeating polio is to build trust within the community and educate people about this disease to help save the future of children in Pakistan.
The government is committed to revitalizing its efforts to counter the menace of polio.