A polio worker gives polio vaccine drops to a child. PHOTO: REUTERS
India and Georgia have made it compulsory for Pakistani travellers to get anti-polio vaccine prior to entering their territory, reveals a letter of the Ministry of National Health Services, Regulation and Coordination.
The letter titled ‘International Certification of Vaccination for Prophylaxis’ was written to Health Department. It explains what measures the department has to take to issue the polio vaccination certificates to the travellers, who plan to visit these two countries.
“This is in continuation of this ministry letter dated 24 Feb, 2014 on the above noted subject regarding compulsory polio vaccination of travellers going from Pakistan to India and Georgia,” the letter says.
It says that the directorate of Central Health Establishment (CHE) has already been directed to coordinate with the provincial health departments, executive district officers (EDOs), district health officers (DHOs), and complete the requisite formalities on top priority.
The letter says the port health officer under the directorate of the CHE as well as designated public sector tertiary care hospital in all provincial headquarters are authorised to administer Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV) and issue vaccination certificate to the travellers.
Requesting anonymity, a World Health Organisation (WHO) official said that currently two countries had imposed travel restrictions on Pakistan but several others might also follow suit.
“The Independent Monitoring Board for Polio Eradication and the WHO Executive Board will have their meeting around May 20, 2014. Considering putting curbs on countries where polio exists is on the agenda,” he said.
The official said two countries had made it mandatory on travellers of all ages to get polio vaccination certificate six weeks prior to their visit. “If other countries do the same then Pakistan may have to face problems and arrange vaccination for a large number of travellers,” he maintained.
He said Pakistan had the worst record of polio eradication in the world. In 2013, 11 cases of polio were reported in Afghanistan compared to 30 in 2012. However, In Pakistan, 58 cases were reported in 2012 and 85 in 2013 – a 40% increase. He said 47 cases of polio had been reported in Pakistan during this year, he said.
“The virus from Pakistan has reached Syria and even Palestine. If we calculate the number of polio cases since last May, above 70 polio cases are reported just in North Waziristan where total population is around 700,000. We have to eradicate polio to avoid the restrictions,” he added.
An official of the Expanded Programme on Immunisation said they had received the letter from the ministry and the relevant EDOs, medical superintendents were asked to follow the guidelines for issuing the polio immunisation certificate.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 21st, 2014.
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@Kamran: "Given the exceedingly incredible rape rates, who would travel to India by the way. "
Well if you do not want to visit, this rule will not impact you. Incidentally, US, UK, Australia have much higher rates of rape than India so I presume you do not want to visit any of these countries also? Rape rates in Pakistan are seriously underreported (they are in India as well due to social stigma but under reporting in Pakistan is an order of magnitude higher due to the laws of evidence in case of rape).
Indian civil society and media finds rape unacceptable and hence makes a big deal about the cases which makes the frequency higher than it is. The temporary poor image this causes for India is a price worth paying to move forward to a country where rapes are not as frequent and where rapists have a much higher chance of being convicted and rape victims can get assimilated into society without stigma or shame.
If you want to pretend that Pakistan does not have the problem - fine.
@Mk: to Kamran " In Pakistan the police simply files a report saying the rape never happened. " No rape can be registered unless and until four male witnesses say so. Since the one who rapes is in a heightened state of frenzy and wants to get it over with, it leaves little time for the one who is raped to collect the necessary witnesses before the act. That is why rapes never happen in Pakistan.
@Mk: @Reddy:
Relax buddies and enjoy!! Cheers
@Kamran: Your people are desperate to visit India all the time and these days they are also coming for medical treatment.........google it and find out.
@Kamran: Rapes happen everywhere ,sadly, however if they do happen in india the people act on it and protest, the legislators act on it and amend the law, the cops act on it and catch the culprit, the courts act on it and prosecute. In Pakistan the police simply files a report saying the rape never happened. Certainly our system works, sometimes it's slow but we are on our way to containing the situation if not now then maybe in 10 years...while Pakistan remains in denial and are content as long as India is suffering too. This policy from past is the result of your present.
I think what India should have done was to allow only those people, who get vaccination in Indian embassy and a moderate charges could have been included for covering vaccination charges in VISA fee. That would have ensured that we don't get into fake polio free certificate issues.
@Kamaran, Stay put in your country, that's what we are asking for!
With Pakistan’s levels of corruption and track record of counterfeiting Indian currency notes, illegally obtained and counterfeit vaccination certificates would be a problem for Indian authorities charged with enforcing this requirement. So in order to prevent the polio virus joining the list of other unwelcome exports from Pakistan into India; namely terrorists, heroin and counterfeit Indian currency notes, it would be more prudent for India to just stop providing visa’s to Pakistanis to visit India and simultaneously prohibit Indian’s from visiting Pakistan.
India should not permit herself to be swayed by sympathy inducing arguments about the need for maintaining people to people contact, helping divided families and using visit visa’s as confidence building measure to foster peace. India must instead be free to enjoy the fruits of eschewing the temptation of acquiring lots of nuclear “bums” and weapon systems in order to make resources available for polio eradication unlike Pakistan.
With Pakistan’s levels of corruption and track record of counterfeiting Indian currency notes, illegally obtained and counterfeit vaccination certificates would be a problem for Indian authorities charged with enforcing this requirement. So in order to prevent the polio virus joining the list of other unwelcome exports from Pakistan into India; namely terrorists, heroin and counterfeit Indian currency notes, it would be more prudent for India to just stop providing visa’s to Pakistanis to visit India and simultaneously prohibit Indian’s from visiting Pakistan.
India should not permit herself to be swayed by sympathy inducing arguments about the need for maintaining people to people contact, helping divided families and using visit visa’s as confidence building measure to foster peace. India must instead be free to enjoy the fruits of eschewing the temptation of acquiring lots of nuclear “bums” and weapon systems in order to make resources available for polio eradication unlike Pakistan.
we should hold talks with the good polio
Given the exceedingly incredible rape rates, who would travel to India by the way.
polio is like a militant...now people have to pay more and certificate.from.EDOs and DHOs....
Too bad, I was dying to visit Georgia.
Polio is also a form of Terror.