A growing crisis

Tribal areas have become a polio hotspot but they still remain beyond the reach of the vaccinators for the most part.

There is an increasing sense that whatever grip the government had on the polio crisis, it is fast slipping away. Three new cases of polio type-1 virus were reported from Fata on May 19, bringing the total this year to 66. None of the affected children had received a single dose of oral polio vaccine (OPV). For the prime minister’s focal person on polio to describe this as ‘a wakeup call’ is fatuous blather. By implication a wakeup call is made to one who is still asleep, and it should have been made long ago. The tribal areas are now established as a polio hotspot but they remain beyond the reach of the vaccinators for the most part, as they are liable to be killed or kidnapped if they try to make an entry. Furthermore, obscurantist teaching in the area has the vaccination programme firmly planted in the minds of many as a dark Western plot.

The fatuity of focal person is exposed in her comment that “the community start demanding the vaccine to secure the future of their children”. That is idealistic and is never going to happen as many, perhaps a majority, mistakenly believe that the vaccine is part of a plot to limit population growth. Perhaps she missed that when reading her briefing notes. What is needed rather than statements is actual on-ground effort to improve the situation. This must be a concerted effort, with security provided to workers, and accurate reporting on the matter. The problem, now, is hardly new to us and we need to see results. That the number of cases is multiplying is, needless to say, very discouraging.

Both the focal person and the minister for national health services, regulation and coordination are to attend the World Health Assembly meeting in Geneva this week. Doubtless there will be many at that meeting eager for detailed answers to any number of questions. The minister will have to assure the international community that Pakistan really is committed to polio eradication, and that we are implementing the recommendations made by the WHO on restricting travel.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 21^st, 2014.

Like Opinion & Editorial on Facebook, follow @ETOpEd on Twitter to receive all updates on all our daily pieces.