ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of National Health Services resumed on Monday the nationwide anti-polio drive, its third this year, to vaccinate 33.6 million children under the age of five.
About 223,000 polio workers will visit homes while adhering to strict Covid-19 protocols, including wearing a mask, using a hand sanitiser, and maintaining a safe distance during the vaccination drive, a statement from the ministry said.
“To make this campaign successful, cooperate with frontline health workers,” Dr. Shahzad Baig, a coordinator for the End Polio Programme, an offshoot of the Pakistan Polio Eradication Programme, said.
Prime Minister Imran Khan Monday, expressing his satisfaction over polio eradication drive and sharp decline in new poliovirus cases, stressed that with well-coordinated efforts of the federal and provincial governments, Pakistan could be made a polio-free country.
The prime minister, congratulating the provincial governments and the partners for the polio eradication campaign, noted that surfacing of a single case throughout the country in this year, was a greater success.
However, he said, their mission was to make Pakistan a complete polio free country.
The prime minister was chairing a meeting of the National Task Force on Polio Eradication. The meeting was attended by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Shah Farman, Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, KP Chief Minister Mahmood Khan, Gilgit-Baltistan Chief Minister Muhammad, Khallid Khursheed, PM’s Special Assistants Dr Shahbaz Gil, Pakistan Army Engineer-in-Chief Lieutenant General Moazzam Ijaz, provincial chief secretaries and representatives of the ministry of health and global partners, PM office media wing said in a press release.
The meeting was apprised that due to effective strategy of the federal and provincial governments, only one polio case had been reported from Balochistan during this year. Due to coronavirus pandemic, the polio immunization campaign had been slow.
The prime minister said during coronavirus pandemic, the government saved human lives along with securing their livelihood, which was acknowledged by the world. With such spirit, they would have to defeat polio, he added.
It was told that in different districts of Punjab, Sindh and KP provinces, traces of poliovirus were found. Due to issues of access, security and non cooperation of parents, every year, large number of children were deprived from polio drops.
The meeting was further apprised that information and technology was being utilized along with geographical information system and tracking.
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation polio supervision board president chief Dr Chris Elias lauded the prime minister and the government for achieving a significant milestone in the polio eradication campaign.
The provincial chief ministers apprised the meeting about the measures taken in their respective provinces with regard to polio eradication drive.
The prime minister also expressed his gratitude to global partners including World Health Organization, Rotary International and Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation for extending technical and financial support to the country.
Earlier, the prime minister launched the national polio drive by administering polio drops to a kid.
Pakistan is one of the two polio-endemic countries in the world along with Afghanistan.
Health officials said the PPEP campaign has been highly successful this year, with only two polio cases reported, a sizeable drop from the 84 cases documented in 2020.
Last month, Minister of State for Health Dr Faisal Sultan said that despite the “complex challenges” posed by the pandemic,” authorities were “optimistic about controlling polio before the end of 2022.”
He cited recent epidemiological data which showed a drop in polio cases, adding: “Decreased detection of viruses in sewage samples indicates the program is on track.
Polio is a highly infectious disease mainly affecting children under the age of five years. It invades the nervous system and can cause paralysis or even death. While there is no cure for polio, vaccination is the most effective way to protect children from the disease.
In a separate statement released on Monday, the PPEP encouraged parents to immunise all children under five against the disease.
“Each time a child under the age of five is vaccinated, their protection against the virus is increased. Repeated immunisations have protected millions of children from polio, allowing almost all countries in the world to become polio-free,” it said.
The government’s efforts to rid the country of polio have lately suffered setbacks due to attacks on vaccinators and police personnel guarding them. The deadly violence is also cited as a factor for the upsurge in new cases that had dropped to only 12 cases in 2018.
Strict security measures had been taken for the campaign and personnel of Balochistan Levies force, police and Frontier Corps would move with all teams of vaccinations.
In traditionally conservative parts of the country, many see the vaccine as a Western-led conspiracy to sterilise children. To deal with the situation, religious scholars, tribal elders and other people who have influence in their areas would motivate parents to get their children vaccinated.
They will bring no change. Tribal areas will again do the propaganda of “Yahudi qatray” and again there will be huge amount of jahil and illiterate awaam left with polio. If Pakistan really wants to get rid of this disease they need an Army soldier with a fully loaded G3 or MG3 along with every polio health workers and Shoot every God damn jahil who comes in the way.