ISLAMABAD: More than 60 percent of the 59 children infected with polio in Pakistan this year did not receive routine immunizations, health officials said, citing coordination between the Polio Eradication Initiative (PEI) and the Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI). A committee has been established to strengthen
The decision is in line with the recommendations of the Polio Oversight Board (POB), which recently reviewed Pakistan’s efforts to eradicate the virus, officials told The News on Tuesday. Officials said that the issue of giving zero dose to children is still critical, with 33 out of 59 affected children not receiving it. One dose of routine vaccination. Severe paralysis has been observed in these cases, indicating low immunity and highlighting the urgent need to strengthen the routine immunization regimen.
The Steering Committee, constituted by the Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination (NHSR&C), has been tasked with addressing key challenges impeding polio eradication and routine immunization coverage, particularly But in high risk areas. It aims to enhance coordination, provide strategic guidance and monitor implementation plans to achieve immunization targets across the country.
The committee comprising senior government officials and representatives of international health organizations is headed by Prime Minister’s Coordinator for Health Services Dr. Malik Mutahar Ahmed Barth.
Its members include the Secretary of the NHSR&C, the Director General of Health, the National Coordinator of the National Emergency Operations Center (NEOC) and representatives from WHO, Unicef, CDC and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Provincial Health Directors of Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan are also part of this high-level organization.
The committee’s objectives include strengthening coordination between PEI and EPI, aligning partner activities, addressing critical issues affecting program performance and engaging stakeholders to strengthen collaboration for both initiatives. including doing
National Coordinator of EOC, Capt (retd) Anwarul Haque announced in a media briefing that the nationwide polio vaccination campaign will be conducted from December 16 to 22. The campaign will target 44 million children in 143 districts across Pakistan, excluding some districts. In Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir due to logistical constraints.
Anwar-ul-Haq called on Prime Minister’s Focal Person for Polio Eradication Ayesha Raza Farooq and technical experts including Dr. Rana Mohammad Safdar from USCDC and Altaf Bhusan from BMGF to ensure every child is vaccinated. Emphasized the importance of cooperation.
Pakistan’s fight against polio continues to face obstacles. Despite a 99% reduction in wild polio cases since the start of the polio eradication initiative in Pakistan in 1994, cross-border transmission in 2023 The reintroduction of the YB3A genetic cluster of wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) through Absence of routine immunization among a large group of children has created a gap in immunity, leaving this population vulnerable to the virus. It happens.
Insecurity is a considerable challenge in areas such as southern KP and Balochistan, hampering vaccination campaigns, leaving many children inaccessible or under-immunized. Additionally, demand-based refusal in these regions, where communities boycott polio campaigns for other services, complicates eradication efforts.
Misconceptions and propaganda against the polio vaccine also hinder progress, as some parents refuse to vaccinate their children despite the vaccine’s proven safety and efficacy. Since its inception, Pakistan’s polio eradication initiative has achieved notable milestones. Wild polio cases have declined from an estimated 20,000 annually in the 1990s to 59 in 2024.
The number of wild poliovirus genetic clusters has also decreased significantly – from 11 in 2020 to just one. YB3A is currently in circulation. The YB3C genetic cluster, which was endemic to Pakistan, has not been detected since November 2023, indicating its possible extinction.
Anwar-ul-Haq highlighted Pakistan’s poliovirus surveillance system, which is the largest and most sensitive system in the world. The network includes more than 12,000 acute flaccid paralysis (AFP) reporting sites and 127 environmental sampling sites in 87 districts. This year alone, nearly 20,000 AFP samples and more than 1,800 environmental samples have been tested, with 29 percent of environmental samples testing positive for WPV1.
Ayesha Raza stressed the need to counter misconceptions about vaccines through accurate information. He asked the media to help dispel myths and build confidence in immunization programs, which save lives and prevent polio. are very important for the elimination of He emphasized that the oral polio vaccine is playing an important role in eradicating polio in most countries, including Muslim-majority countries. He urged parents to ensure vaccination of their children.