Pakistan closest to defeating poliovirus, but not there yet

World Polio Day

Islamabad: Despite the gains made in the fight against polio, the virus has proved to be a constant and resilient foe for Pakistan. Fifteen cases have been recorded this year, and positive environmental samples continue to be found in parts of the country, clearly indicating that “we are not there yet, but are not very far from the finish line either.”

Views to this effect were expressed by the Prime Minister’s focal person for polio eradication Senator Ayesha Raza Farooq on the occasion of World Polio Day, which is annually observed on October 24 with an aim to create awareness about the hazards of the crippling disease.

“Pakistan’s polio eradication programme is committing to nothing less than leaving no child unvaccinated and vulnerable to the crippling virus,” Ayesha stated.

Speaking of the brave ‘Sehat Muhafiz,’ who unfailingly work in all weathers and environments to reach children in every corner of every province of Pakistan, Ayesha said it is their hard work and dedication that will bring about a polio-free Pakistan.

“Your commitment to this noble effort to end polio in Pakistan is a beacon of hope for the future. Without your patience and perseverance we would not be in the position we are today. World Polio Day serves as a reminder that we are on the path to securing a better future for children, not just in Pakistan, but for children everywhere,” Ayesha stated, underlining the need to increase quality in all spheres of activity.

Pakistan has seen great progress in 2016: a 62 per cent reduction in cases, 55 per cent reduction in positive environmental samples and a significant decrease in the number of still missed children, remaining under 1% of total target population (0.36%), compared to 1.5% the same time the year before.

“We are vigilantly identifying and addressing the gaps and are committed to adjust and refine our tactics as required and we intend to stay the course to reach what would be a significant public health landmark for both Pakistan and the world,” Ayesha added.

The wild poliovirus is now endemic in three places on earth i.e., Nigeria, Afghanistan and Pakistan. The remarkable eradication effort that started 30 years ago has the opportunity to make history this decade. As recently as the late 1980s, polio paralysed more than 350,000 children globally every year. Today, more than 15 million people, who would otherwise be paralysed, are able to walk, thanks to these efforts.

World Polio Day was established by Rotary International over a decade ago to commemorate the birth of Jonas Salk, who led the first team to develop a vaccine against poliomyelitis. Use of this inactivated poliovirus vaccine and subsequent widespread use of the oral poliovirus, developed by Albert Sabin, led to the establishment of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) in 1988. As of 2013, GPEI had reduced polio worldwide by 99%.

Polio is a crippling and potentially fatal infectious disease. There is no cure, but there are safe and effective vaccines. Polio can be prevented through immunisation. Polio vaccine, given multiple times, almost always protects a child for life. The strategy to eradicate polio is therefore based on preventing infection by immunising every child until transmission stops and the world is polio-free.