Pakistan ranked first with 80 percent of the total polio cases in the world as only 44 cases were reported in last five months throughout the country, of which 18 were in Fata, 12 in Sindh, 11 in Balochistan and 3 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, against a total 20 cases registered last year.
This was stated in a joint press conference addressed by the World Health Organisation (WHO) Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean, Dr Hussein A Gezairy and the Assistant Director General for Polio Eradication and Humanitarian Action in Crises, Dr Bruce Aylward here on Tuesday. Though there are a few cases in Nigeria, India and Afghanistan, theses countries will be declared polio-free by the end of the year.
There was variable performance in key areas of Sindh (Karachi) and Balochistan (Quetta, Pishin, Kila Abdullah), Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and accessible parts of Fata, due to management and security challenges, hindering polio eradication campaign. However every effort is being made to support and implement the National Emergency Action Plan 2011 for Polio Eradication, the representatives added. "With the world edging ever closer to eradicating polio, a high-level WHO visit is emphasising Pakistan's key role in tackling the highly contagious and crippling disease, said Dr Gezairy, adding that it would need a push to completely eradicate polio in Pakistan by 2012.
WHO and Unicef are working closely with the Global Polio Eradication Initiative along with federal and provincial governments to vaccinate every child in Pakistan against the poliovirus, he added. Dr Gezairy said with a combination of high-level political commitment and effective action on the ground, Pakistan has the potential to eradicate polio.
"To stop the transmission of the poliovirus in this country, it is essential that every child has the opportunity to be immunised, no matter how remote their location or how difficult it is to reach them," said Dr Gezairy. "It is of vital importance that any issue that reduces the effectiveness of immunisation activities be identified and addressed at the earliest opportunity," said Dr Gezairy.
Unicef Pakistan Representative Dan Rohrmann said the right to child survival, growth and development is enshrined in the Convention on the Rights of the Child. "The joint effort by the government of Pakistan and the global polio partners including Unicef, WHO, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and Rotary International will not only assist in reversing a worrying trend in polio cases, but will also help meet fundamental rights of children, namely the right to survival and a healthy life.
"The time is opportune to invest in children for the future of Pakistan... an investment that will forever change the lives of the most vulnerable and disadvantaged children." Dr Guido Sabatinelli, WHO Representative for Pakistan said the goal of eradicating polio from Pakistan forever is within our grasp. It is now time to act at a different scale and tenor. With commitments at the highest governmental levels, with international backing and partnerships, with generous resources by many stakeholders and above all, a specific time-line, we must show that tangible goals can be made.
"In practice, this means more initiatives like the national three-day immunisation campaign in May that targeted 33 million children need to be pursued. Accordingly, further polio campaigns, including one in June that will target 16.5 million children, will take place throughout the rest of the year.
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