Medical diplomacy

Pakistan and Iran share a common border and some of the same challenges as well. In recent years, there have been a number of impediments to the relationship between the two states, most of them engendered by America’s antipathy to Iran and the regime of sanctions against it deployed by the US. Those sanctions have a spillover effect on Pakistan as it may find itself the subject of American sanctions if it is seen to breach those imposed by the US — a potent threat. It has already blighted the proposed gas pipeline between the two countries. But nothing is forever and the Americans may be close to a nuclear deal with the Iranians that could free up a range of options in future. An area of mutual cooperation that seems not to upset any delicate balances is on the medical front, and the Iranian offer of the provision of free oral polio vaccines is to be warmly welcomed.

A delegation of medical and health education officials from Iran has been in Pakistan, and recently made the offer referred to above. Pakistan needs 40 to 50 million doses of polio vaccine every year, and a contribution by Iran of 4-5 million doses would be welcome indeed. The Tehran government is keen to support the anti-polio campaign, not merely through altruism; there is a strong element of self-interest. The potential that Pakistan has to ‘export’ the polio virus is already proven, and Iran would seek to minimise that potential for itself. Equally, there is to be cooperation on the eradication of malaria, another scourge. Many cases of malaria in Pakistan occur close to the borders of Iran, and there is a reasonable concern that it is no less exportable than polio. Iran is close to eradicating malaria, and as with polio is interested in strengthening its own defences against malaria. Pakistan is nowhere near eradicating this disease and with as many as 3.5 million confirmed or presumed cases every year, there is a mountain to climb. Cooperative initiatives such as this are a healthy development, and not only on the diplomatic front.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 19^th,  2015.

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