A disastrous year

According to the Independent Monitoring Board, a body that assesses progress made across the globe on efforts to eradicate polio, Pakistan has not done well at all this year. In fact, the board, which also assesses the weekly figures put out by the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, states that Pakistan has faced a ‘horrible’ year. The body has noted that while in 2018, a year during which 12 cases were reported, Pakistan appeared to be on the brink of eradicating polio, things have gone sharply downhill since then. The number of wild polio virus cases stood at 77 at the end of October this year and according to other reports has risen to above 80. There have also been reports, denied by polio authorities, that a dangerous strain thought to have been eradicated has resurfaced, especially in northern parts of the country.

The INB has warned that combining politics with the polio campaign is not a good idea. It has said that while the public message of ‘nearly there’ and ‘one final push’ were still being pushed forward there were various contradictions which suggested that polio remained a major problem. Identifying these the INB has said that too many communities remain hostile to the oral polio vaccine, there is a weak emergency culture which does not fit in with the present stage of the eradication process, local creativity is being stifled by demands made from the top and the best performing staff members are not being identified or their skills utilized. It has warned that this situation could lead to a dangerous increase in polio cases in Pakistan. The situation is certainly one that should alarm polio managers in the country. Afghanistan has fared far better than us in 2019, reporting 19 cases till the end of October. The report has also noted that inefficient vaccination and monitoring, especially in remote areas, and the absence of experienced women on the vaccination teams has made it impossible to enter houses and check on the situation of newborns.

Pakistan itself should be most alarmed over this situation. Clearly things have gone wrong. It is futile to blame this all on social media or similar factors. It is essential that polio be eradicated as quickly as possible and levels of vaccination increased to reach adequate stages. The INB has also said that the data presented is weak and often somewhat inaccurate. Without accurate data it is impossible to prevent major outbreaks such as those that have occurred in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa from where at least 57 cases have been reported, or to prevent mass virus circulation in other parts of the country. The report has also commented on polio-positive environmental samples found in the country and noted that, despite the government’s strong statements, it is depressing to see that the number of polio cases has risen rapidly.