Polio problems

In September, the WHO declared Nigeria was not polio-endemic. Nigeria was the last country in Africa with the endemic poliovirus, whereas in Asia there are only two countries – Pakistan and Afghanistan – where polio has yet to be eradicated. Polio vaccination campaigns in Pakistan have been subjected to continuous setbacks because of a lack of awareness among the masses, poor health infrastructure, government negligence and, most importantly, rising militancy. In Fata, militancy has aggravated the problem by not allowing the vaccinators access to those regions. This has put many children at risk. An overwhelming 96 percent of polio cases have been reported from these zones.
Another major reason why polio remains a problem in Pakistan is due to the vaccines being administered by untrained staff, as seen in the polio cases in Punjab, Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in 2013.There is a need to address the loopholes in our system. The state and people should join hands to eradicate polio in our country once and for all.
Taiba Saleem
Islamabad