Second anti-polio drive set to begin today

ISLAMABAD:

A massive anti-polio campaign is commencing today, targeting around 43 million children across the country. The initiative follows the recent detection of wild poliovirus type 1 in sewage samples collected from Karachi, Hangu, Peshawar, and Pishin.

Caretaker Federal Minister for Health, Dr Nadeem Jan, inaugurated this second drive of the year on Sunday by administering vaccines to a group of children during a formal ceremony in Islamabad.

During the event, Dr Jan emphasized that there is no cure for polio, and only the polio vaccine can prevent children from permanent disability. He called upon parents, civil society, teachers, scholars, and religious leaders to actively contribute to polio eradication efforts.

Dr. Jan underscored the paramount importance of eradicating polio for the sake of national honor and respect. He acknowledged that, although the task of eliminating polio in Afghanistan and Pakistan had once appeared insurmountable, they are now on the cusp of realizing this significant achievement. Dr. Jan also emphasized the pivotal role that parents play in the ongoing battle against this disease.

The minister also revealed that a comprehensive strategy has been implemented for polio eradication, with senior officers appointed in Southern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) to combat the virus's spread.

Read ‘Polio-free Punjab still a distant dream’

He urged citizens to cooperate with polio workers who will visit their homes to administer vaccines.

Just last week, on September 25th, traces of wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) were detected in sewage samples gathered from both Hangu district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) and Karachi.

According to the Pakistan Polio Laboratory at the National Institute of Health (NIH), a sewage sample from Karachi's Keamari area on September 5 and two samples from Hangu on September 6 tested positive for WPV1.

These samples were genetically connected to the YB3A cluster found in neighboring Afghanistan.

Earlier on September 20, two sewage samples from Peshawar, K-P's capital, and Pishin district in Balochistan tested positive for WPV1. The NIH's Pakistan Polio Laboratory confirmed the isolation of WPV1 in these samples.

Responding to these findings, Federal Minister for Health Dr Nadeem Jan had vowed to eradicate the poliovirus from the country. He had stressed the significance of immunizing children under the age of five during the forthcoming nationwide polio vaccination campaign scheduled for October.

Dr Jan had noted that viruses can spread with people and infect vulnerable children anywhere, emphasizing the need for routine vaccinations to ensure children's immunity.

He had highlighted the close ties and population movement between Pakistan and Afghanistan in their joint fight against the debilitating virus.
Federal Secretary for Health Iftikhar Shallwani had also stressed that community ownership and engagement are crucial for polio eradication and expressed unity in the pursuit of a polio-free Pakistan.

Pakistan has reported two polio cases and identified 27 positive environmental samples this year.