Pakistan has come a long way in polio eradication: Aseefa

Days after the emergence of the year’s first polio case in Karachi, Rotary Ambassador for Polio Aseefa Bhutto Zardari visited the Emergency Operation Centre (EOC) for Polio on World Polio Day on Wednesday and inoculated children with two drops of the polio vaccine.

She also met people responsible for managing the polio programme in Sindh.

Efforts to eradicate the disease from the country faced another setback last week when two people tested positive for the dreaded virus in a single day. The first polio case was reported from Gadap Town’s Union Council 4 and the other from the Landi Kotal tehsil of Khyber Agency.

“Pakistan has come a long way in polio eradication, from 306 cases in 2014 to six cases this year. This shows vaccines work and that we are close to eradicating polio from this country. It was the dream of my mother, Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto, to see a polio-free Pakistan. We will make sure that dream becomes a reality,” Aseefa said.

EOC coordinator Fayaz Jatoi and technical focal person Dr Ahmad Ali Shaikh welcomed her to the polio cell and were joined by EOC advisor Shahnaz Wazir Ali, Chairman Polio plus Committee Rotary International Aziz Memon, Unicef Sindh Field Office chief Cristina Brugiolo, Technical Focal Person National EOC Dr Altaf Bossan and team leaders from WHO and Unicef.

During the ceremony, Aseefa gave presents to children and conversed with their families. Following this, there was a cake-cutting ceremony to mark World Polio Day. Aseefa appreciated the efforts made by the Sindh Polio team for the eradication of the disease.

She said: “I thank the people working tirelessly at the EOC. It is their efforts that have brought the country to the brink of polio eradication. No child should have to suffer from a vaccine preventable disease. I appeal to all parents to vaccinate their children with two drops of the polio vaccine every time they are offered.

“As we celebrate World Polio Day, I also want to thank the women working at the frontline of this programme. Their efforts and sacrifices have brought us success and without them nothing was possible.”

Later, Aseefa tweeted: “On #WorldPolioDay we recommit ourselves to the eradication of polio in Pakistan. We must protect every child from this crippling disease. It was the dream of my mother Shaheed Mohtarma #Benazir Bhutto to see a polio free Pakistan & it has become my mission to make her dream a reality.”

World Polio Day is celebrated on the 24th of October every year and is an opportunity to raise awareness about the importance of vaccination. Pakistan and Afghanistan are the last two countries in the world which are still polio endemic, but great progress has been made with historically low cases in Pakistan in 2017.