Pakistan has confirmed 39 cases of polio in 2024, with the two latest cases detected in Sindh province on October 19, 2024, according to health authorities. This revelation has added further challenges to the country’s ongoing efforts to eradicate the disease. The latest victims, a boy and a girl, are from the Sanghar and Mirpurkhas districts. These are the first confirmed polio cases in these districts this year, according to the Dawn newspaper.

Surge of Cases Threatens Eradication Efforts

The two new polio cases follow four others reported just a day earlier, bringing the total number of cases in Sindh to 12 this year. This sudden surge of cases is a blow to Pakistan’s long-standing mission to eliminate the poliovirus, especially given the international focus on eradication. The two affected districts had already shown signs of virus circulation through positive environmental samples, which have been testing positive for wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) since April 2024. The confirmation of human cases, however, has now intensified concerns about polio transmission in the region.

According to the Regional Reference Laboratory for Polio Eradication in Islamabad, the virus has not only affected Sindh but also other regions of Pakistan. Balochistan has reported the highest number of cases at 20, followed by Sindh with 12, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa with 5, and one each from Punjab and the capital city of Islamabad. Health officials believe that the spread of the virus across such diverse regions indicates that more aggressive intervention is needed.

National Vaccination Campaign on the Horizon

In response to the alarming increase in polio cases, Pakistan has developed a comprehensive strategy to combat the disease, which includes a new nationwide vaccination drive. Prime Minister’s Focal Person for Polio Eradication, Ayesha Raza Farooq, expressed concerns over the resurgence of polio in different provinces but assured the public that significant measures were being implemented to eradicate the virus.

The upcoming vaccination campaign is set to begin on October 28, 2024, and aims to immunize more than 45 million children under the age of five across the country. Farooq emphasized that this campaign is crucial for Pakistan to meet its target of eliminating the virus by June 2025.

The urgency of this campaign stems from Pakistan’s status as one of only two countries where polio remains endemic, alongside Afghanistan. Both nations face significant challenges due to factors such as poor healthcare infrastructure, vaccination refusals, and political instability, which have hindered efforts to eradicate the virus.

Polio Eradication Strategy and Challenges

While the government is rolling out nationwide immunization efforts, other challenges persist in reaching vulnerable communities. According to health officials, some areas have low vaccination coverage due to issues such as misinformation, reluctance to vaccinate children, and lack of access to healthcare facilities. These challenges are further compounded by the movement of people within and across provincial borders, spreading the virus to previously unaffected regions.

Since polio mainly spreads through contaminated water and unsanitary conditions, several areas of Pakistan, particularly rural and impoverished regions, remain high-risk zones. To address this, the government is collaborating with international health organizations such as the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF, aiming to improve sanitation, ensure clean drinking water, and raise public awareness about the importance of vaccination.

Despite these efforts, the sudden appearance of new cases from districts like Mirpurkhas and Sanghar has raised alarms among health experts. With the virus now present in multiple regions, including previously unaffected districts, eradicating the virus has become even more challenging.

Global Impact of Pakistan’s Polio Situation

The global health community continues to monitor Pakistan’s polio situation closely, as the country plays a critical role in the global fight against polio. WHO has repeatedly emphasized that Pakistan and Afghanistan must fully eliminate polio if the world is to achieve total eradication of the virus. While the two countries have made significant progress over the past decade, setbacks like the current surge of cases threaten to undermine those gains.

The global health community has praised Pakistan’s upcoming vaccination campaign, viewing it as an essential step toward addressing the new outbreaks. In addition to immunization, experts have called for enhanced surveillance, improved sanitation, and stricter border control measures to prevent cross-border transmission of the virus between Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Pakistan has seen many ups and downs in its fight against polio. A few years ago, the country was on the verge of achieving its goal of eradicating polio. However, due to various challenges, including resistance to vaccination campaigns, polio cases continued to be reported. The resurgence of cases this year highlights the difficulties in completely eradicating the virus, particularly in regions with environmental factors and sociopolitical challenges.

Pakistan’s Commitment to Eradication

Despite these challenges, Pakistan remains committed to its goal of eradicating polio by 2025. The government has bolstered its resources and strategies in collaboration with international organizations. Farooq has assured the public that the country’s polio program is well-prepared for the upcoming campaign and confident that this will significantly reduce the number of cases.

Health officials continue to stress the importance of vaccination in protecting children from the debilitating effects of polio. The disease primarily affects children under the age of five, causing irreversible paralysis and even death in some cases. The upcoming campaign aims to vaccinate millions of children across the country to prevent the further spread of the virus and, hopefully, eliminate it once and for all.

As the vaccination drive approaches, Pakistan’s health officials and international partners are working around the clock to ensure that the country reaches its polio eradication target by 2025.

Reference :

1. Junaidi, Ikram. “Two More Polio Cases in Sindh Take Year’s Tally to 39.” DAWN.COM, October 20, 2024. https://www.dawn.com/news/1866366.

(Input from various sources)

(Rehash/Yash Kamble/MSM)