A health worker administers the polio vaccine to a child at the airport. All Pakistani travellers will be required to carry certification of polio vaccination for international trips from June 1. PHOTO: ONLINE
ISLAMABAD: All Pakistani travellers embarking on international visits will be required to carry a valid polio vaccination certificate from June 1, 2014, a joint statement from the Ministry of Health Services and the World Health Organisation read on Tuesday.
Earlier in May, the WHO’s International Health Regulatory Emergency Committee had recommended pre-travel condition on Pakistanis to curb the transmission of polio virus across the globe.
Pakistan takes seriously its responsibilities as a signatory to the international Health Regulations, 2005 (IHR) and is fully committed to their implementation in letter and spirit, the statement read.
The ministry of National Health Services Regulation and Coordination (NHSR&C) said it has already taken several measures to implement the IHR temporary recommendations made by the WHO relating to the public health emergency of international concern caused by the spread of poliovirus from Pakistan.
The statement added that the plan had been initiated and health facilities across Pakistan are now vaccinating prospective travelers and issuing the required vaccination certificate. Preparations for fully implementing the measures are expected to be completed in two weeks, adding that the government was collaborating closely with WHO, UNICEF and health development partners to mobilise all available resources.
Additionally, a template for the required vaccination certificate has been prepared in compliance with IHR Annex VII.
Are you polio certified?
With Pakistani travellers required to carry polio certification, here is how you can get yours before you board your flight.
• People traveling out of Pakistan can get vaccinated against polio from major public hospital at city, district and provincial level as well as from DHO offices, airports, seaports, cross-boarder check points of neighboring countries.
• They can get their polio certificate signed by any designated senior official (BPS-19) at these hospitals, airport and departments.
• The polio certificate issued to any one and vaccination done will be valid for one year.
• A person who has planned his foreign trip earlier can get vaccinated four week before to the actual date of traveling or incase of urgency, can get it done at the airport.
Till the printing of the template that is compliant with IHR Annex VII, the certificate can be issued on plain paper with the required stamps from health officials.
COMMENTS (29)
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ
1713272658-0/Copenhagen-fire-(1)1713272658-0-270x192.webp)
1713268762-0/Netflix-(3)1713268762-0-270x192.webp)
I am a Pakistani, live in Dubai U.A.E and travelling to U.S & UK.from Dubai. Do i need polio vaccination ?
@pakiindi: Agha Khan Hospital is giving this certificate for around Rs. 700/-. Validity one year.
@Abdullah: I am not saying that every American or Britain or any Western countries' national is coming to Pakistan but I want to say that whosoever will come to Pakistan.......
what about pakistanis living abroad?
@Aschraful Makhlooq don't worry dear, the nationals of these countries r not coming to Pak anyways and now, they'll avoid it even more.
If this is so and is going to happen from 1st June 2014 then Pakistan also must has to make it obligatory for all the foreigners most especially importantly US',UK's and other Western countries' nationals to show AIDS/HIV negative certificate at all the Pakistani airports to stop AIDS/HIV from entering Pakistan from abroad,if Pakistani leadership's conscience is alive,before entering Pakistan because AIDS/HIV is spreading on large scale in the world most especially in UK,USA and other Western countries.....
ahahah so funny and stupid WHO’s International Health Regulatory Emergency Committee , USA has more than million people suffer from AIDS and major diseases, it should be implemented to them.
The same news agency on the same issue back in 2011: http://tribune.com.pk/story/293191/vaccine-nation-globally-supported-company-is-funding-fatal-polio-shots/
@imran ali 1 in 2.7 million seems like a small number until that ONE is you. Know what I mean? Like just the fact that it exists when polio itself is mostly eradicted from the world is a sad state of affairs. As if there weren't alot of negative aspects of a green passport already. One more is added. I truly hope our Pakistan can get rid of its problems one by one. Because we as a nation are steadfast.
I got my reply :
As an adult, do I need this vaccine?
Most adults do not need polio vaccine because they were already vaccinated as children. But three groups of adults are at higher risk and should consider polio vaccination in the following situations: • You are traveling to polio-endemic or high-risk areas of the world. Ask your healthcare provider for specific information on whether you need to be vaccinated. • You are working in a laboratory and handling specimens that might contain polioviruses. •You are a healthcare worker treating patients who could have polio or have close contact with a person who could be infected with poliovirus.
Adults in these three groups who have never been vaccinated against polio should get 3 doses of IPV: • The first dose at any time, • The second dose 1 to 2 months later, • The third dose 6 to 12 months after the second.
Adults in these three groups who have had 1 or 2 doses of polio vaccine in the past should get the remaining 1 or 2 doses. It doesn’t matter how long it has been since the earlier dose(s).
Adults who are at increased risk of exposure to poliovirus and who have previously completed a routine series of polio vaccine (IPV or OPV) can receive one lifetime booster dose of IPV.
So will the adults also have to take this vaccine ?? or is it for children 0-5 ? there is no clear mention , and if adults have to , then why ?? , we never get vaccine when there is polio campaign going on then why should adults be forced this med ??
No one is talking here who,s "CREATION" of this polio virus, can we protest against God instead accusing Govt. and USA, who did not even felt pity about so innocent kids.
@imran ali Not being a fan of controversy theories myself, but still 1 in 2.7 mill is more % than polio cases in itself... Around 70 in 182mill
What a sad story. A bunch of lunatics wearing the garb of religion denied preventive medication to future generations. The government of the day has no guts to stand up to these criminals look them in their eyes. The other big pillar of the Pakistani society, the mullahs side with the lunatics for fear of losing their hard won political muscle and turf. And the third pillar of the Pakistani society chose to stay silent and not take sides for fear offending the lunatics. So now Pakistan instead of having a generation of infertile kids has now generations of crippled kids. This story could not get crazier. As they say "only in Pakistan".
@Maher:
"Gold mine for vaccine certificate agents… another money making way"
You mean FAKE certificate agents?
@Aik_Paki: Yet NS supporters will blame this on Imran Khan, Musharraf or Zardari.
@Rapunzel...Very rarely, vaccine-derived poliovirus can cause paralysis. Vaccine-associated paralytic poliomyelitis (VAPP) occurs in an estimated 1 in 2.7 million children receiving their first dose of oral polio vaccine. - See more at: http://www.polioeradication.org/Polioandprevention/Thevirus/Vaccinederivedpolioviruses
Doesn't everybody know that CIA is putting polio bacteria into water systems? (It's called Hydraulic Intra-Valve Polio Organization System.) RAW is doing it too, and the two are conspiring to destroy the fabric of our great nation. May Allah give us the nuclear power to fight back and reclaim the glory that was once ours (according to my Grade VI textbook).
http://21stcenturywire.com/2013/03/06/bill-gates-and-polio-new-vaccines-can-help-reduce-population-by-10-15/,if the ET allows an alternative view please visit the link to find actual Polio Story..it may be genocide of Humanity and not Anti polio Drive.to quote a few lines from the link..“The mainstream media has been busy hailing the supposed success of India’s polio vaccine campaign over the past few years, with many news outlets now claiming that the disease has been fully eradicated throughout the country. But what these misinformation puppets are failing to disclose is the fact that cases of non-polio acute flaccid paralysis (NPAFP), a much more serious condition than that caused by polio, have skyrocketed as a result of the vaccine’s widespread administration”
This is a real-shame for our democratic government of NS and PML-N. Another success story - well done Nawaz Sharif and the allies?
I like this photo. The mother is happy that her daughter is getting polio vaccination. Look at her face. She is so happy.
What would those who oppose polio vaccinations know about the plight of mothers like this woman? Every time her child gets even a minor flu for 3-4 days, the mother of a child who has not been vaccinated would be praying several times to Allah that let it not be polio.
Photos like these should be posted everywhere and it may help polio vaccination campaign.
Another point is that it would be very troubling for the parents to administer polio drops to their children every year if they are frequent travelers to international destinations as the vaccination certificate is valid for one year only. Not sure it this will be help or hurt more. It is the responsibility of WHO to give proper guidance.
So how many Pakistanis will be getting vaccine-associated paralytic poliomyelitis(VAPP)?
This extract from the WHO website should help your readers:
"States currently exporting wild poliovirus
Pakistan, Cameroon, and the Syrian Arab Republic pose the greatest risk of further wild poliovirus exportations in 2014. These States should: officially declare, if not already done, at the level of head of state or government, that the interruption of poliovirus transmission is a national public health emergency; ensure that all residents and long-term visitors (i.e. > 4 weeks) receive a dose of OPV or inactivated poliovirus vaccine (IPV) between 4 weeks and 12 months prior to international travel; ensure that those undertaking urgent travel (i.e. within 4 weeks), who have not received a dose of OPV or IPV in the previous 4 weeks to 12 months, receive a dose of polio vaccine at least by the time of departure as this will still provide benefit, particularly for frequent travellers; ensure that such travellers are provided with an International Certificate of Vaccination or Prophylaxis in the form specified in Annex 6 of the International Health Regulations (2005) to record their polio vaccination and serve as proof of vaccination; maintain these measures until the following criteria have been met: (i) at least 6 months have passed without new exportations and (ii) there is documentation of full application of high quality eradication activities in all infected and high risk areas; in the absence of such documentation these measures should be maintained until at least 12 months have passed without new exportations.
Once a State has met the criteria to be assessed as no longer exporting wild poliovirus, it should continue to be considered as an infected State until such time as it has met the criteria to be removed from that category."
This shows that we have becomes world superpowers.
Gold mine for vaccine certificate agents... another money making way
What is the most likely market-price of the polio certificate?
What about overseas Pakistanis? Do they also require certificates?
very good decision for world peace.