Health worker administering Polio vaccine somewhere in Peshawar, Pakistan, Sept.9, 2024. (AP Photo/Muhammad Sajjad)
Islamabad(AP) — Polio cases are on the rise in Pakistan, prompting a new vaccination initiative amid ongoing violence against health workers and police officers assigned to protect them. This unrest has hindered efforts to eliminate the disease from the country. Anwarul Haq from the National Emergency Operation Center for Polio Eradication reported that since January, there have been 39 confirmed polio cases in Pakistan, a sharp increase from just six cases during the same period last year.
The nationwide vaccination campaign is set to begin on October 28, with the goal of immunizing at least 32 million children. “The main objective of these campaigns is to achieve the target of making Pakistan a polio-free nation,” Haq stated.
Despite the dangers, Pakistan has consistently rolled out vaccination campaigns, although militants have targeted health workers and police, claiming that the inoculations are part of a Western plot to sterilize children.
The majority of new polio cases have emerged in the southwestern province of Balochistan and southern Sindh, followed by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and eastern Punjab. These areas are concerning for health authorities, especially as previous outbreaks were concentrated in the volatile northwest region near Afghanistan, where the Taliban recently halted a door-to-door vaccination campaign.
Both Afghanistan and Pakistan remain the last two countries where polio has not been completely eradicated. Pakistani officials warn that the Taliban's decision could have significant consequences, as many people regularly travel across the border.
In Afghanistan, the World Health Organization has recorded 18 polio cases this year, primarily in the southern region, a notable increase from six cases in 2023. In June, Afghanistan implemented a house-to-house vaccination approach for the first time in five years, which significantly improved coverage among children.
Health officials in Pakistan are advocating for coordinated anti-polio efforts on both sides of the border to enhance the effectiveness of vaccination drives.
