Crippling disease: Nawaz vows to root out polio in 6 months

Warns negligence in dealing with viral disease will be considered ‘crime against future generations’

ISLAMABAD:

Setting an ambitious target of completely eradicating polio from Pakistan in six months, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Wednesday directed all the provinces to take the anti-polio drive with seriousness and warned that any negligence would be considered as ‘crime against our future generations’.

He directed all the chief ministers to make polio eradication a top national priority and ensure quality campaigns under foolproof security arrangements. He also announced to set up a cabinet committee for eradication of polio virus.

“As the country’s prime minister, I hold every child dear and like my own and cannot see them suffering from life-long disability,” said the PM, while chairing a meeting of the National Task Force (NTF) on Polio Eradication.



According to official sources, this meeting was held after a year’s gap as the last one was held in September 2013. The reason behind convening this meeting was the current upsurge in polio cases, which has become a matter of embarrassment for the entire nation.

The meeting was attended by all the provincial chief ministers, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) governor, Azad Kashmir’s prime minister, federal interior, defence, information and health ministers as well as representatives of international partner agencies and ambassador of Japan.

The PM directed the three-member cabinet committee on polio eradication – comprising federal ministers of interior, defence and health – to closely coordinate with all the provinces and ensure foolproof security to polio workers.

The premier made a firm commitment that polio will not be tolerated in Pakistan and all-out efforts will be  made to eradicate it. To express his full commitment, he announced that he will personally review the progress of polio eradication programme every fortnight.



The PM was of the view that the ongoing military operation Zarb-e-Azb in the North Waziristan Agency and the subsequent migration of its population had made it possible to vaccinate 0.8 million children, who did not get polio vaccine since June 2012.

The PM appreciated all the religious scholars, who supported the polio programme and helped to clear misconception about the vaccine.

While talking about the concerns of the international community over the increase in the number of polio cases – which so far has reached 235 this year – said that Pakistan is a responsible country.

“It is clearly reflected through the implementation of IHR Emergency committee recommendations to ensure all the people travelling abroad to be vaccinated against polio,” he said.

CMs brief the PM

The K-P CM Pervez Khattak expressed disappointment over polio situation in his province. He said that after Fata, from where 151 polio cases have so far been reported, his province had the second highest number of reported polio cases, which he attributed to law and order situation.

The Punjab CM Shahbaz Sharif informed the PM that through quality anti-polio drives environmental samples of Rawalpindi and Lahore, which earlier were positive for polio virus had become negative.

Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah informed the PM that polio cases are being reported from a few areas of Karachi whereas the situation of polio in the entire Sindh is under control.

Earlier during the briefing, the prime minister was informed that Japan would provide a funding of Rs550 million to Pakistan for Polio eradication. It was also told that Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation had pledged Rs37 billion for the cause.

Commenting on the PM announcement, a senior Public Health official working at National Institute of Health (NIH) said considering the current polio situation in the county it was very difficult to eradicate this crippling disease in six month.”

“However, the only best option to achieve this set target in given time frame is three to four best quality anti-polio drives across the country in which every single child should  be  administrated polio drops,” said the official.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 6^th, 2014.