Pakistani travellers will have to carry vaccination records while travelling to India. PHOTO: EXPRESS/FILE
"The step is being taken to safeguard India's polio-free status attained after sustained efforts and investment," a statement from the Indian High Commission in Islamabad stated.
"It is applicable to all travellers from all countries where polio disease is endemic or where cases of polio are reported," it said.
With this measure in place, Pakistani travellers will have to carry their vaccination records while travelling to India, or face being turned back from their port of entry.
Pakistan, Afghanistan and Nigeria are the only three countries where polio remains endemic.
According to the Indian High Commission's statement, travelers need to take the Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV) at least six weeks before their departure to India but not more than a year before the trip.
In October this year, an outbreak of polio reported among young children in northeast Syria was said to be "probably originating in Pakistan" the World Health Organization (WHO) said. The organization pointed out that this spread of the virus poses a threat to millions of children across the Middle East.
“We know a polio virus from Pakistan was found in the sewage of Cairo in December. The same virus was found in Israel in April, also in the West Bank and Gaza. It… is putting the whole Middle East at risk quite frankly,” Bruce Aylward, WHO assistant director-general for polio, emergencies and country collaboration had said.
Pakistan is one of only three countries in the world where the highly infectious disease which cripples limbs remains endemic.
“Last year there were a total of 58 cases, but 62 fresh victims of polio have already been reported in 2013,” a senior government official, who works with international donors working to eradicate polio said in a report last month.
Opposition from militant groups has hampered efforts to vaccinate children against polio in Pakistan and officials said violence was part of the reason for the increase in cases.
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COMMENTS (99)
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@Raj - USA: Dear Raj, You are allowing your Indian pride to get in the way of your critical thinking. Tuberculosis (TB) is a deadly disease, many people die from it, Indian has a high incidence of TB sufferers, and therefore it was logical to discuss it from an Indian point-of-view, particularly in view of the fact that the article is about India's health concerns. Hardly ranting. I personally have first hand knowledge, as to how deadly TB can be. I live in a country where TB is normally unheard of, but never-the-less a perfectly healthy person I knew picked up TB, it went to the brain and due to complications death occurred within a few weeks. To satisfy your Indian ego Pakistan also has a high incidence rate in regard to TB. Will Pakistanis also require certification for TB when visiting India? Further, Indian knows full well that Pakistan has a reasonably comprehensive immunization program. Apart from one or two outlying areas polio is well under control, and hype notwithstanding is down to a few annual cases.
@Sexton Blake: Your comment starting "Obviously getting rid of polio is a good thing. However, it may well be the least of India’s or Pakistan’s problems...................
You try to equalize by commenting on India and Pakistan together on polio and then go on ranting on India and TB throughout the rest of your comments and end your comment saying "I doubt that India will ever get rid of TB"
What a stupid comment !!!!!!! Is India resisting to get rid of TB and are the Indian's resisting treatment for TB? India does not have insane minds that you exhibit.
Have some sense in thinking before you start to comment and bring India to blame on something India is doing good, not just for India but for the rest of the world also.
Above all, it is not just India but 23 other countries are imposing ban on people traveling from polio infected countries.
Obviously getting rid of polio is a good thing. However, it may well be the least of India's or Pakistan's problems. Depending upon statistics it would appear that there are at least 6 million Indians suffering from tuberculosis (TB) in all its different forms, and unfortunately it can be difficult to detect. Making it even worse Indians are becoming very mobile and as a result TB is spreading to Western countries who thought they had got rid of it. Also, more virulent strains are appearing, which appear to be drug resistance, and the mortality rate is growing. Perhaps Indian's traveling overseas are obliged to produce certificates that they are free of TB, but I am not aware of it. The big problem is that many thousands of Indians are carriers of TB, but do not know it, and it is transmitted relatively easily. However, getting rid of polio would be one disease the world would not have to worry about. I doubt that India will ever get rid of TB.
I think Indian government needs to go a step further. One just can't simply trust a certificate issued by some Pakistani doctor. It may indeed be a fake one. The Indian high commission should also make it mandatory for all such visitors to be inoculated by its staff so as to make sure the visitors are indeed vaccinated. Of course they can charge some money for it as part of VISA fee to discourage the free loaders who might just show up in embassy just for the sake of vaccination since GoP is unable to do much in terms of that.
People who are not vaccinated have probably already crossed through Kashmir border.
@Realise: No! we don't wish to compete with Orangi, Kati Pahari and Lyari areas of your country! By the way... Dharawi's (Mumbai slum) property rates are much higher than your DHA!
@Hatim- I had the pleasure of travelling on business to Karachi 7 years ago and of experiencing the ineptness of the Immigration officers at the airport. Although overtly polite, I was kept standing and waiting without being attended to, till I was 'rescued' from the queue by a representative of my host who, was well-connected businessman of Karachi.
The visit to the Police station was also not very inspiring. Once again the officer was polite, but very slow in completing the formalities.
But having said that, I enjoyed my stay in Karachi and have no bad feelings about the lack of enthusiasm shown by the 'meet & greet' officials [ Immigration & Customs] of Pakistan.
Patience guys, patience. If you can't buy a fake certificate in Pak just throw a few $$ to the guys who stop you in india. You won't be surprised to see how corrupt indian officials are. Source: Been there, done that!
@imran: its becz of NasA trip of architectural students we will visit India in jan and as usual thy create some minor issues
but we will resolve ....and prove our skills well I field of architectural designing
It means that bihari and bengali communities living in Pakistan will have to waste money to agents and bureaucrats for so called polio certificate for visiting India.
Why should the pious muslims of Pakistan worry about HIV in India? Unless their piety is questionable.
@1984: Can YOU do the math? By YOUR numbers, the HIV prevalence rate in India is 0.25% and that in Pakistan is 0.056%. India therefore had FOUR time as many victims among a population of 1000 compared to Pakistan.
@Sami Khan: Pakistan is not free of HIV infection which is originated and spread among its population
@1984: Do your math again. India has 1 HIV+ among 416 people while Pakistan has 1 HIV + among 1800 People. How Pakistan have three times more HIV+ patience then India.
@Pakistani:
According to World Tourism Visit 30% of world population visit Taj Mahal each year
Read this http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TourisminIndia
What the news story failed to mention is that the list of countries also include nigeria and afghanistan and the backlash is strange considering pretty soon more countries are going to follow suit unless you people did not take care of it 62 confirmed cases are good enough for an additional verification hurdle added to the visa procedure for any nation in the world. It is actually painful to see how people commenting here are failing to realise the long term impact of this issue that can create problem for not only them but also the overseas pakistanis
link text
for uninformed peoples
India ‘winning’ battle against HIV/AIDS: UNAIDS report 57% drop in new cases
Pakistan needs a Fatwa from KSA , allowing Mullahs to permit polio vaccination. As otherwise the entire world would put sanctions on travel to and fro for everyone. Wake up.
@Tom: " Go to turkey or arab countries..."
The fact is, even Turkey and Arab countries don't like Pakistanis.
May be Indian govt should ask for a No Terrorist certificate instead.
@Ayesha: Do care to read the news piece at least !! Its seems as if posting an India bashing comments excites you so much that you simply cannot wait to read the subject matter itself. Could you be any more shameful !
@gp65:
Good clarification. Thanks go65, I am sure many Pakistani will get it.
@hatim: If you feel so bad, why do you visit India often? Please avoid the humiliation by not coming to India.
Many a nuclear “bum” and nifty weapon could have been acquired by India with the money that has been spent and wisely so I may say, on controlling the scourge of polio. It would now be foolhardy for India to squander the effort, expense and sacrifice by permitting the entry of the polio virus via Pakistan irrespective of specious arguments about the need for maintaining people to people contact, helping divided families and using visit visa’s as confidence building measure to foster peace.
@Pakistani: if you would have read the whole story then probably you have not asked this question. article clearly says that it is also applicable to Indian citizen going to that countries. India put a lot of efforts to get rid of that problem and you have no idea how difficult it would have been for one billion people
@vijay: India has made the right move and I hope others will follow suit to get acquinted with the diseases which are caused by virus infections. I am a man from Europe and very much familiar with human medicine.
Rex Minor
So, what proof would be needed? A certificate from a doctor that can be obtained by anyone in Pakistan or India by paying any doctor Rs. 200? Or worse, get a bogus fake certificate from the people who sell even advanced degree certificates?
@Netizen: Some people come to India for tourism,some for trade,some for having medical treatment,some for spirituality
Since you are talking about prostitutes and HIV,we can get the idea why you want to come to India....
One advice though,Bangkok isnt too far and doesnt have much visa restriction
@Pakistani1 The 90% of comments here are by indians, suggesting who is more interested in
It is like some one is worried about the Mafia Don in the Mohalla. That's our "interest" in you. Just curious you have no life and we read you are lobbying against India becoming UN security council member? Such level of disinterest from you!
Now that India has started this, many other countries will follow suit. Also, it will not be easy to reverse these regulations and every country will insist that Pakistan be declared free of Polio before they reverse this decision.
India has spent billions of dollars to eradicate polio from its territory and they are absolutely correct and justified in their action. You cannot allow insane fanatics form any country to put others in peril.
@Realise: Is that why the largest slum in Asia is in Orangi Town, Karachi?
Pakistanis are master in fake certificate making.
A total ban of Pakistani entry in India until total Polio eradication in Pakistan is the only solution. Other SAARC countries including Maldiv should follow India.
Many comments expose the reason why polio is still not eradicated from Pakistan. There's still a lot of ignorance, irrationality, and unscientific temperament in Pakistan. That's so sad because (no matter why India passed this law) it's Pakistani children who are suffering and face a risky future. Can't you think of the children?!
In response to some people commenting about how Indians treat Pakistani visitors, you lie. You probably never visited. I have absolutely no doubt that most Indians will be extra hospitable to Pakistanis and I have no doubt Pakistanis reciprocate similarly to Indian visitors.
All that said, look at yourselves, look into yourselves on this polio affair. You can learn something from India, particularly how the Muslim leaders in many communities of UP and Bihar encouraged their peoples to administer polio to children in India. In that context, the commenters here are actually egotistical, deluded detractors.
The 90% of comments here are by indians, suggesting who is more interested in the visiting the others country indians or pakistanis
ET why are you not publishing my comments while you publish abusive and racist comments by indians on a PK domain. Pathetic moderation & agenda.
People voluntarily shouldn't travel to India, as India has the largest number of HIV infected AIDS patients in the world. Combine this with India, having the largest number of prostitutes in the world(3 million in year 2003-4) now at least twice that number, the two makes a fatal combination.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/5140526.stm
@hatim The purpose of Indian govt's restrictions and scrutiny of travellers from Pakistan is to prevent terrorism. Not to humiliate you.
If these measures inconvenience you, you should complain to ISI/PA, not to India!!
@Ayesha: Just because your biased media did not report it does not negate the truth that India has made this act compulsory for every nation where polio is epidemic. You guys seriously have deep rooted complex against India, that even a positive step will be looked upon as an "attack". Hopefully this move will give Pakistani government and mass a sense of urgency to eliminate polio and thereby helping it's own citizens.
@Sami Khan: @Realise: Clearly you guys have no value for life. Of course that happens naturally after courting with terrorism. Your off topic tit for tat only reflects your apathy towards polio victims in your country. Instead of taking this move as personal attack, work on fixing polio issue. Thanks for your suggestion on HIV and slums, we listen to your "affectionate" nagging but at the same time we are working to eliminate them.
Pakistanis, Please do not think this is any kind of humiliating step. This is one of the rare achievement by India which needs to be protected for the sake our children. All of us have carried our children for vaccination drops so many times as directed by our govt. The same exercise will follow if we get any new case. Our govt is only reacting to the Syrian news. I wish you also become successful in eradicating the polio for the sake of your children.
@NoPro: It is blessing in disguise. India is the HIV capital of the world with largest number of AIDS infected people which is close to 3 million. Less people traveling to India means less chances of getting AIDS, as India has the largest number of prostitutes in the world also. http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2010-07-21/india/282809711india-s-hiv-hiv-infected-women-workers . I fully agree with you. No Indians should be allowed to visit Pakistan. SIMILARLY PAKISTANIS MUST BE FORCED BY THE GOVERNMENT OF PAKISTAN NOT TO VISIT INDIA. . Cheers
@Sami Khan: Who would want to visit your country? On the other hand, there are daily reports of many Pakistani children being treated in India for rare diseases. So, you can implement any law you want, we just don't care.
I think it's fair enough for anyone to get vaccinated before traveling be it polio, HIV or something else. India have achieved polio free status at great cost and effort, I still remember how one case of polio was detected after declaring polio free status and whole exercise of vaccination was repeated all over country. There is nothing for anyone to get offended .
@Khurram: Aids is fast reducing in India. We are not like you people who deny poverty,rape or disease.
@Ayesha: Read news carefully before commenting.
The WHO recommends only one vaccination (4 shots) in a lifetime. Indians are crazy.
@Spock
Circumstances. I don't like visiting much.
@np
It is when you take into account that there is a separate line for Pakistanis where they make us queue up and wait. An official then comes at his own leisurely time to "register" us manually. Then we must report to a police station. I believe this serves no purpose other than inconveniencing us. They have hundreds of files with names of Pakistanis at respective registration points rotting. Of course nothing a few rupees in cold hard cash won't solve. ;) If everything was automated it would make more sense.
Then there are the idiots at the immigration counter. Once an immigration office had to go to his boss because he did not know the Indian visa stamp had been changed! Immigration officers there need serious training.
@NoPro:
Less people traveling to India means less chances of getting AIDS
Staying home does not protect from HIV-AIDS. And in addition exposes you to Polio too.
http://www.dawn.com/news/1059723/pakistan-sees-eight-fold-increase-in-hiv-cases-in-11-years
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3107810/
I believe there is no certification in this connection, or test??? And it is on our Clergy here in Pakistan who have no knowledge or information what Polio does....in their belief it is a form of family planning.
This decision may also come from other countries who will ban all travel from or to Pakistan.
I wonder when will we wake up....
I guess the day KSA bans us from pilgrimage maybe then we will wake up or blow up?
@jg: Are you sure that there are no polio infected people in India or in the USA? More than 20 million US citizens do not visit doctors because they ahe not the insurance and how many Sir in India can afford Doctor consultation? The UNO statistics are always based on reported and not actual count!!
Rex Minor
@Ayesha: There is nothing discriminatory about the Indian action. Let Pakistan follow suit and not allow any polio virus carriers from foreign countries.. Ofcourse, what measures the UNO recommends for countries to prevednt the migration of birds population who could be also carrying the virus from Africa or the Americas.
Rex Minor
I smell money in this. India is aid capital of the world. How soon can we set up labs in the embassy of Pakistan??
ETBLOGS1987
@NoPro: HIV is not contracted by travel. IT is contracted only one of 3 ways: 1) unprotected sex with someone already infected 2) blood transusion from an infected person 3) childborn to a mother who has HIV.
So travel to India cannot lead to HIV. Anyway, India has high numbers because it has a good detection system. There has also been a significant reduction in the past decade of the number of infected people. In the past, Pakistan simply did not screen people for HIV, even now there are very few places which test people for this disease and with no public awareness campaign to reduce stigma associated with AIDS, the lower numbers simply point to lower detection rates which is not a good thing. This is similar to the low number of reported rapes which is not a measure of safety of women but rather a measure of stigma associated with rape and lack of hope that they will get justice in view of prevailing laws of evidence.
A better move would be a complete travel freeze.
@hatim:
And yet you visit. Strange, very strange
still thinking why would i need to visit India
@NoPro: Dude, India has a population of 1.2 Billion and we have 3 million AIDs victims
Whereas Pakistan has a population of 180 million and has close to 1 lakh AIDS victims
http://www.worldbank.org/en/news/feature/2012/07/10/hiv-aids-pakistan
If u can do the math,then Pakistan has 3 times more victims among a population of 1000 compared to India.... Case of pot calling kettle black...
BTW Polio spreads through skin contact and unless Pakistan has a "secret Bangkok",I think u guys are safe....
Indians have the highest rate of HIV in world currently...so Pak govt should also ban them for coming to Pak as their is no vaccination for HIV
With Pakistan’s levels of corruption and track record of counterfeiting Indian currency notes, illegally obtained and counterfeit vaccination certificates would be a problem for Indian authorities charged with enforcing this requirement. So in order to prevent the polio virus joining the list of other unwelcome exports from Pakistan into India; namely terrorists, heroin and counterfeit Indian currency notes, it would be more prudent for India to just stop providing visa’s to Pakistanis to visit India and simultaneously prohibit Indian's from visiting Pakistan.
India is just the beginning - polio is a preventable disease and those who won't take the steps to eradicate should bear the burden of proving they aren't spreading the disease.
@Ayesha: I guess ET should make you mandatory to read the news before commenting. If you read it just beyond first sentence then it states that even indians need a proof along with all other nationals who live or travel in polio infected area.
“It is applicable to all travellers from all countries where polio disease is endemic or where cases of polio are reported,” it said.
Please read it carefully before making the comment
@Ayesha: India has made it mandatory for citizens of countries where polio is still active.
I travel to India frequently. India does all it can to humiliate Pakistani travellers.
It had to happen.
well.india was expected to take lead on this since keeping their 1.3billion popultaion polio free is rather a big feat.more to come for pakistanis from rest of the world as well.
Welcome, and Pakistan should also reciprocate the Indian policy -----------.
A sensible decision. I have Polio since the age of 6 months. We(India) finally eradicated Polio last year only and I don't think we should take any risks now. May the scholars, doctors from Pakistan would look at the Indian model of how Indian Government overcame the hurdle which are generally faced in developing economies. Both our countries have some what similar cultures and it should not be too difficult for Pakistan to eradicate Polio soon.
Another discriminatory attempts towards Pakistan. What about other nationals entering India who potentially may carry this virus. India should have made it mandatory for anyone entering India.
they should be turned back- even if they are vaccinated.
necessary step..............
It is blessing in disguise. India is the HIV capital of the world with largest number of AIDS infected people which is close to 3 million. Less people traveling to India means less chances of getting AIDS, as India has the largest number of prostitutes in the world also.
http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2010-07-21/india/282809711india-s-hiv-hiv-infected-women-workers
Indian citizens must prove they wont establish slums here before they are allowed in
Let us hope it is the real vaccination, not just a certification of vaccination. On both sides.
Although this is a political move by India it does make sense. I hope other countries follow suit only then will the mulla militant alliance realise their follies.
Who wants to visit ?
Its a good move by India. Anyone can get affected at any age, war time US president Franklin D. Roosevelt contracted polio at the age of 39. C'mon Pakistan, you can do it.
I think Nawaz Sharif will be in trouble since he is one of those very few who want to go there.
Good move.
Why in the world go to india in the first place?? Also, we demand the same from indian citizens entering Pakistan
I think it's a good move taken by india to safeguard its people from catching the virus again from polio hit countries we have taken huge efforts ,money, investment and human resources working constantly to get rid of it after so many years,don't want it back. However I believe we can help pakistan achieve polio free status by sharing our polio free programmes and initiates with them. Pakistan can achieve it only when it throws out people who issues fatwas against polio vaccines citing espionage as well as support from its government.
Probably the only good decision UPA-2 has made till now.
Ban them NOW. Why wait till January 2014.
I see the need for polio vaccination but I do not see the need for going to India except for few people's who could have some relatives or few businessman.Even relative can see each other thru SKYPE. Period. We can definitely survive without going to India, with all due respect. With the same token , they can survive too. So what is the fuss that this news is coming as a headline?
Next all other countries in the world will ask for vaccination certificates. But who will verify if the certificates are authentic.
Pakistani should also put restriction on Indians for HIV tests