The High Commission explained that the restriction is applicable to travellers from all countries where polio is endemic or where cases of polio have been reported. PHOTO: EXPRESS/FILE
India requires all Pakistani visitors to have oral polio vaccination (OPV) at least six weeks prior to departure.
In an official notification issued on Wednesday, the Indian High Commission to Pakistan stated, “Travellers from Pakistan to India after January 30, 2014, are required to carry their vaccination record as evidence of polio vaccination” and will only be allowed to enter the country thereafter.
It stated that the record for administering OPV may be obtained from an authorised medical centre in the format laid out in the World Health Organisation’s International Health Regulations 2005 International Certificate of Vaccination. Once administered, the OPV remains effective for one year, after which the vaccination should be taken again.
Pakistan has recorded an increase of 30% in the number of polio cases as compared to last year and the count still goes on. However, India has been polio-free since 2009; therefore, in a bid to maintain its status, India issued the new travel restrictions for Pakistani adults and children.
The High Commission explained that the restriction is applicable to travellers from all countries where polio is endemic or where cases of polio have been reported. “It is also applicable to Indian nationals travelling to and from these countries,” it stated.
India Today reported on January 28 that Indian government had written to its transport and railway authorities to allow screening of children coming from Pakistan or going there.
According to officials in UN donor agencies, WHO’s regional board will hold a meeting in the last week of January 2014 that would take up the matter of Pakistan and other countries affected by polio.
Talking to The Express Tribune, Minister of State for National Health Services, Regulation and Coordination Saira Afzal Tarar said the Indian government has imposed travel restrictions just to secure their country, which is alright. “But it would have been better if the Indian government had discussed the matter with their Pakistani counterparts before taking this decision.”
Published in The Express Tribune, December 12th, 2013.
COMMENTS (14)
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ
1713904359-0/burn-(1)1713904359-0-270x192.webp)
It is the major thing, which each and every citizen of the country should kept in mind.
India is not the only country, there are many countries besides India who need mandatory polio certification from Pakistan. Even your Muslim brother country Saudi ( taken from saudi website for haj travel) needs all travellers arriving from polio-endemic countries ie(Afghanistan, Chad, Nigeria and Pakistan), regardless of age and vaccination status, to receive one dose of oral polio vaccine (OPV). As part of visa application, visitors from these countries must provide proof of polio vaccination, at least six weeks prior to departure.
People pretending to be a doctor and Pakistani don't even bother to read the 'related stories' of the item before going to belither a huge essay, to release their prejudices against Pakistan. http://tribune.com.pk/story/643356/one-drop-at-a-time-fatwa-issued-in-favour-of-polio-vaccination-campaign/
@ Sweet..... how sweet. Pass on the blame of our own inefficiency to someone else!!!!
Its the right of India (and for that matter any other country including Pakistan) to defend itself from such a disease. I am a Pakistani but still see no issues in this.
Yes it would be a better if the Indians would have informed the Pakistani authorities on this move in advance which would not be opposed. But anyways, no problems with this. Lets focus on the core issue (getting polio fully erradicated from the region) and work in our respective areas of responsibility.
It is a conspiracy to malign the image of Pakistan. Our govt. should take up the matter at the highest level with the Indians and get them to repeal the above order.
Polio or ‘Poliomyelitis’ derived its name from Ancient Greek. It means “Disease of Gray Matter” which primarily inflames brain and spinal cord leading to muscle weakness. I hope all will realize the effect of this deadly disease.
Righ move.... India (or for that matter any country including Pakistan) has the right for something like this. I support this restriction even though I am a Pakistani.
Yes it could have been better if the Pakistani authorities were informed in advance (which i am sure would not oppose something like this which helps them as well. But anyways this is the right move....
Question remains why no such restrictions coming from far more health conscience western countries.Or is it just a part of the show -Tit for tat.
Why is this news item not surprising??? The GOP and Sindh Government have all taken a casual and laid back approach to a problem that has many sides to it. This victory belongs to the Taliban and sympathizers. Salams
Knowing their penchant for quick-fixes, I'm guessing fake certificates will predominate.
I think it's just a matter of time before polio returns to India - my guess is 6 months and somewhere in Kashmir / UP / Bihar / Metros or in the migrant labourer population in Punjab.
Billions of dollars down the drain, quite literally.
One down 160 plus more nations to go.
The polio vaccination requirement by India has, in fact, been imposed a bit too late and should have started long ago when it became known that certain extremist elements trying to forcibly stop it because of certain religious prejudices. Be as it may, Pakistanis landing in Syria have reportedly infected the local population with this deadly disease and have crippled thousands of Syrians, particularly young children. It is pathetic for the hate-India madrassah-educated campaigners to try to make a political drama out of this tragedy that has befallen several thousands of Pakistanis, particularly small children. Just think: if you stopped this vaccination against polio, the coming generation of Pakistanis will have all kinds of defects, including crippling of limbs. Anyone with some commonsense can understand what this will mean for Pakistan: nearly half of its population could be polio-crippled by the year 2030, if this stupid ban on polio vaccination is not stopped immediately. I guess India, like the rest of the world, is merely taking precautionary measures to protects it polio-free territory and people from any infections. After all, that is India's sovereignty and as such its prerogative. It does not have to "consult" Pakistan, as Minister of State for National Health Services, Regulation and Coordination Saira Afzal Tarar, has been quoted as saying in this story. Pakistan and Pakistanis need to quickly address the polio vaccination issue for the sake of protecting its population in the future. Pakistanis, in case the readers don't know yet, are being shunned everywhere. Even Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Malaysia and others are in the process of imposing travel restrictions on Pakistanis, let alone the Western countries and Japan.