State Minister for Health Chaudhry Muhammad Afzal Sandhu on Saturday attributed the sharp increase in polio cases to the migration of large number of people from Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) and other tribal areas, as anti-polio drops had not been administered to the children of the areas.
Addressing a joint press conference with regional director of World Health Organisation (WHO), Dr Hussein A Gezairy, here on Saturday, the minister said that the government at the highest executive level has shown commitment to eradicate the menace of polio from the country.
The PPP government has set 90 per cent routine immunisation coverage of all EPI antigens with at least 80 per cent coverage in every district by 2012, he added. Keeping in view the huge spread of Hepatitis B & C virus infections in different parts of the country, National Programme for Prevention and Control of Hepatitis is being strengthened to focus energies on behaviour change, early detection and encouraging research in cost-effective treatment. Hepatitis B vaccination is now part of EPI to ensure that all new-borns are immunised against Hepatitis B.
Dr Hussein A Gezairy said that up till now no medicine or vaccine has been invented for the treatment of hepatitis B and C, therefore, to overcome this problem there is a need to create awareness among masses that they could protect themselves from these diseases, he added.
He stressed the need to create awareness among the masses regarding their sexual behaviour to avoid become the victim of hepatitis B, C, Polio and HIV/AIDS. He said that some 118 cases of polio were registered in 2008. The government and World Health Organisation (WHO) also agreed to further enhance co-operation in health sector including polio eradication, TB control, prevention & control of hepatitis, health emergency preparedness & response and primary healthcare.
The government also assured full commitment to achieve Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) related to health. As envisioned by Benazir, the present government places special emphasis on Mother and Child Health, the state minister added. He said that Pakistan welcomes WHO involvement for building capacities for disaster preparedness and greatly values the support extended for institutionalising the Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Cell.