Eradicating polio from Pakistan

The lack of proper governance and accountability are jeopardising efforts to rid the country of this disease.

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is one of the few countries in the world where polio is endemic. The lack of proper governance and accountability, together with local groups opposing vaccination, are jeopardising efforts to rid the country of this disease.

Till around three decades ago the world saw an estimated 400,000 polio cases a year. Thanks to a cheap and effective vaccine, the annual global number is now roughly 1,000.

On the other hand, according to the World Health Organisation, as many as 200,000 Pakistani children missed their polio vaccinations in the past couple of years with the worst-affected areas being Balochistan and Fata. Southern Sindh, which has been affected by floods for two years running, has also suffered from polio. As a result, children in Pakistan are still being disabled by polio despite efforts having been made to eradicate the disease.

The Pakistani government needs to act decisively in this regard. In some areas of the country, obscurantist forces do not allow the administration of the polio vaccine believing it to be “against Islam”. The public needs to be educated about the disease and its vaccination. It needs to ask religious scholars to help educate people who refuse to allow their children to receive the oral polio vaccine. It is very important for Pakistan that this disease is eliminated from the country and high levels of immunity are maintained against it among the population.

Anam Hayat

Published in The Express Tribune, March 24^th, 2012.