Mission expresses interest in supporting Emergency Operation Centre network PHOTO: FILE
The World Bank on Wednesday indicated that it will continue to support Pakistan’s polio programme.
This was expressed by a World Bank National Immunisation Support Project (NISP) team leader Dr Robert Oelrichs, during a meeting with the Prime Minister’s Focal Person for Polio Eradication Senator Ayesha Raza Farooq.
The mission also showed interest in supporting the long-term sustainability of the valuable emergency operation centre (EOC) network.
A WB delegation is on a 12-day visit to Pakistan to negotiate with the NISP and associated multi-donor funds.
The NISP project will employ disbursement-linked indicators to finance project results and progress by each province which will be monitored through specific targets for each indicator, already developed and negotiated according to each province’s context and capacity.
Farooq mentioned that more than 80 per cent decline in polio cases was seen during 2015 over the preceding year along with persistent confinement of virus transmission in terms of geographical spread and circulating genetic clusters.
She also apprised the mission about the effectiveness of the project.
She said innovations of polio plus in health camps, consistent community engagement through long-term volunteers and the combination of inactivated polio vaccine-oral vaccine and supplementary immunisation activities (SIA) helped the programme in turning the situation around.
Coordinator for National Emergency Operation Centre (EOC) Dr Rana Safdar gave an overview of the network and explained mechanisms put in place for the real-time use of valid data for real-time decision making.
He also apprised the delegation on plans to utilise the system for integrated disease surveillance and response systems in the long run to tackle all health threats, including emergencies.
Dr Oelrichs praised the government for bringing all partners together, which has resulted in “amazing progress”. He emphasised the need to sustain EOC structures and mechanisms to support the larger public health agenda of the country.
A total of 53 cases were reported across Pakistan in 2015. Pakistan is amongst the only two countries that are still fighting the crippling disease.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 21st, 2016.
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