ISLAMABAD: The Government of Japan has announced a new $3.1 million grant to procure essential oral polio vaccines as part of its continued support to polio eradication efforts in Pakistan, the Pakistan Polio Eradication Programme (PPEP) said.
The PPEP will use the amount to procure over 20.22 million polio vaccine doses to support national polio campaigns in 2025. Pakistan is one of only two countries globally that has yet to stop polio. So far in 2024, Pakistan has reported a total of 59 cases of polio.
With the current surge in polio cases in the country, the government of Pakistan, in collaboration with its partners, is set to implement an extensive and strategic action plan in 2025 aimed at eradicating this life-threatening disease among children.
Each national immunization drive targets over 45.4 million children under the age of five, with over 400,000 frontline workers, predominantly women, playing a crucial role in ensuring the Polio Programme’s outreach.
In the past week, the Regional Reference Laboratory for Polio Eradication at the National Institute of Health confirmed the detection of wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) in environmental samples collected from 14 already infected districts. As of 6 December 2024, sewage samples collected from Dera Bugti, Quetta, Nasirabad, Usta Muhammad, Bajaur, Tank, Multan, Bahawalpur, Okara, Rahim Yar Khan, DG Khan, Gujranwala, Gujrat and Islamabad from 13 to 19 November tested positive for WPV1.
“The challenges faced in 2024 have underscored the critical need to accelerate our efforts to eradicate polio. With Japan’s continued support, we are further strengthened to intensify our efforts, aiming to achieve zero polio cases by mid-2025 under the leadership of the Prime Minister, Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif,” stated Prime Minister’s Focal Person on Polio Eradication Ayesha Raza Farooq.
“The unwavering support of the Government of Japan has been instrumental in helping us get closer to reaching zero cases. We are thankful to the government and people of Japan for their continued support towards polio eradication in Pakistan,” Farooq added.
Takano Shuichi, Charge d’Affaires ad interim of Japan to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, said “Japan has supported Pakistan to eradicate polio for nearly 30 years despite hindrance such as floods, COVID, and terrorist attacks. Since this year marks the 70th anniversary of Japan’s ODA to Pakistan, we would like to renew our commitment to continue to promote routine immunization including polio vaccination in Pakistan.”
The new funding is part of the continuous support from the Government of Japan to the Polio Eradication programme since 1996. To date the grant and loan contribution from the Government of Japan has amounted to approximately US$ 242.194 million dollars to support the polio programme in Pakistan through UNICEF.
“We appreciate the government’s commitment to making all-out efforts to ensure all children receive the essential vaccine. We believe that vaccines, the most effective way to strengthen children’s immunity, will be used effectively with the understanding of parents and communities and the efforts of frontline workers. We sincerely hope that all the polio campaigns of this year will be conducted successfully toward zero polio cases”, said Miyata Naoaki, chief representative JICA Pakistan Office.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2024
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