I believe in immunisation, but not the government

Peter Boota, now 55, had all his dreams dashed by the crippling disease .

LAHORE: With polio having dashed all his childhood dreams, Peter Boota, now 55, believes that immunisation can save children from the crippling effects of these disease. However, he has less faith in the ability of authorities and the efficacy of vaccine.

“I am affected by polio and had to forego all my cherished dreams,” he says when reflecting on his life. He asks that if Pakistan launches nationwide campaigns, with all the necessary infrastructure and equipment, why has the country not been able to eliminate the virus.

He says that after every month, lady health workers knock on their doors and ask families to immunise children. He adds they are accompanied by police so nobody dares to refuse. Boota continues that despite all these measures, the country still stands on the row of polio-affected countries.

Since he was a child, the polio victim wanted to join the Pakistan Army. “I do not want my children to be affected by this virus. For this reason, I got them immunised at a private clinic because I do not believe on the government’s drops,” he comments.



According to government data, Pakistan has recorded 19 polio cases in 2016, thus far, with eight each in Sindh and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, two in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas and one in Balochistan. Pakistan, Afghanistan and Nigeria are the only three countries with having polio cases.

The Young Doctor Association’s Punjab chapter highlights that it is necessary to maintain the cold-chain process to keep vaccine efficacy.

YDA Founding Member Dr Aftab Ashraf says that the government, unfortunately, is unable to maintain the cold-chain process when the vaccines reach Karachi Port.

“There is a power crisis and the lack of refrigeration facilities at public sector hospitals. Also, untrained health workers fail to keep the vaccines in ice boxes when immunising children,” he adds.

“By the end, these drops become useless for immunisation,” Dr Ashraf continues.

He requests that the government maintain the cold-chain process and keep vaccines in low temperature to ensure the programmes are fruitful.

He also points towards mass corruption in the health sector and questions the government’s sincerity towards eradicating the crippling disease.

“If Pakistan is declared a polio free country, what will happen to the international aid pouring in from donor agencies?” he wonders.

When asked about storing vaccines, a Punjab health department spokesman says the government has already ensured the cold-chain process and keeps the goods in refrigerators during the campaign.

“That is the main reason why Punjab, despite environmental samples being detected in different areas, is the only polio-free province” he adds.

“A three-day anti-polio vaccination campaign has begun in Punjab and will target 18.4 million children below the age of five.

Punjab’s Emergency Operation Coordinator Dr Munir Ahmed says that out of 44,654 teams, 37,845 are mobile, 4,439 fixed and 2,370 transit to achieve the set targets.

“Towards the end of the year, we are going to give this campaign our best shot. Rawalpindi’s positive sample, last week, was the 10th in Punjab this year.

We have had three positive samples apiece in Lahore and Rawalpindi, two in Faisalabad, one in Multan and another in Dera Ghazi Khan,” he concludes.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 26^th, 2016.