International monitors praise Pakistan for ‘polio turnaround’

Islamabad
Pakistan deserves kudos for affecting a major turnaround in the polio situation. Political commitment, ingenuity and a determination to change the course of events has enabled the country to convert challenges into opportunities.
This observation is stated to have been made by members of the Independent Monitoring Board (IMB) of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) at the close of its two-day meeting in Abu Dhabi on Thursday, informs a press release of the Ministry of Health.
According to the press release, the chair of the IMB Sir Liam Donaldson made specific mention of the creative responses by Pakistan to challenges like mass exodus of population from North Waziristan by conducting successful large-scale transit vaccinations, introducing injectable polio campaigns, and systematic and thorough engagement of ‘ulema’. Innovations like health camps and involvement of female community volunteers to improve access to resistant communities was also recognised by IMB members. “Pakistan has come out of very difficult situation,” remarked IMB members.
Going forward, the IMB is stated to have recommended expanded and tailored approaches and strategies specific to different communities. The committee of international monitors also gave a nod to Pakistan’s strategic shift in targeting missed children through new and innovative strategies.
Additional observations made by the IMB will be known upon release of the meeting’s report in over two weeks.