Polio nightmare

The number of cases reported from our nation are the highest anywhere in the world.

Despite the National Polio Emergency Plan put into action at the start of the year, there is no evidence that Pakistan is making any headway in winning its battle against polio. Instead, new cases emerge at regular intervals, with two new ones recently reported in Fata. Experts involved in the drive against polio believe, the security situation hampers the movement of anti-polio vaccination teams. Refusals by parents in some areas to have their children vaccinated, the mass dislocation of populations and the general mismanagement of campaigns, leads to children missing vaccination during each drive; hence adding to existing issues.

All these factors add up to what is essentially a disastrous situation. The number of polio cases reported by August 31 this year was 77, as compared to 43 by the same time last year. One can only guess what the number will be by the time 2011 ends. The rising number of cases — with a 50 per cent increase reported from Balochistan and other polio invading districts of the province, where it had not been seen for years — suggests drastic measures are needed. Quite obviously, the action plan is not really working. Other strategies need to be planned and means found to prevent more children from being crippled by a sickness that can be prevented simply by administering a few drops of liquid. The awareness about the benefits of vaccination, too, need to be spread further afield — especially in more remote areas. Meetings involving experts from around the world have pretty much continued round the year. But there is an urgent need to assess what has gone wrong — and why every country around the world, including Afghanistan — is doing better than us. It is a shame that today, Pakistan remains one of only four countries in the world where polio remains endemic. The number of cases reported from our nation are also the highest anywhere in the world. We have to find ways to end the resurgence of polio seen over the past few years, and get back to a situation where we have a chance of eradicating a disease that has already taken a toll in our country.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 17^th, 2011.