Wild poliovirus

Pakistan and Afghanistan are the only two countries in the world that have yet to eradicate poliovirus. International health organisations and major powers have rendered support to both countries to alleviate the deadly virus to prevent a serious epidemic outbreak. Unfortunately, both countries are far from achieving the target as Pakistan experienced a surge in cases in 2022 after being polio-free for almost a year. Now a wild poliovirus of Afghan origin has been detected in sewage samples from Peshawar and Hangu districts in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Polio eradication remains a significant challenge in Pakistan due to misinformation, myths and mistrust among the locals, particularly in Waziristan. The unnecessary conspiracy theories and noise around polio have overshadowed the debilitating impact of the virus on children. Many children have already succumbed to the disease and are now spending their lives in isolation with a disability that could have been prevented. Last year, several polio workers and police officers assisting them were attacked in different parts of the country during vaccine campaigns. Evidently, the country cannot eliminate the virus amid such a hostile and uncooperative environment.

Pakistan also launched a synchronised campaign with Afghanistan to increase children’s immunity, which will be continued this month. But vaccine campaigns alone cannot bear fruit especially when people refuse to vaccinate their children. Therefore, the health ministry needs to work with federal and provincial departments to brainstorm a strategy to restore public trust and enhance surveillance to identify samples and ensure widespread immunisation. The only way forward to prevent the polio threat is to bridge the communication gap between parents and health officials, dismantle existing myths and improve outreach.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, May 5^th, 2023.

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