WHO extends travel restrictions on Pakistan over polio concerns

GENEVA: The World Health Organization (WHO) Emergency Committee on Polio has made a recommendation to extend the current travel restrictions on Pakistan by an additional three months, citing ongoing concerns regarding poliovirus transmission.

Pakistan, along with Afghanistan, remains at the forefront of global efforts to eradicate polio, yet the persistence of polio virus transmission between the two countries has prompted WHO to uphold travel restrictions.

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According to WHO reports, the spread of poliovirus is exacerbated by Pakistan’s sewage systems, particularly in urban centers like Karachi, Peshawar, and Quetta.

Highlighting the interconnectedness of the polio eradication efforts, WHO emphasised the importance of vaccinating children in Afghanistan, as the lack of immunisation poses a threat to Pakistan’s polio-free status.

Efforts to curb the spread of polio include a massive vaccination campaign targeting 175 million children in Pakistan and Afghanistan by June this year. The statement also underscored the role of cross-border vaccinations, calling for improved access to polio vaccines at Pak-Afghan crossing points.

Furthermore, the WHO declaration identified the movement of Afghan refugees into Pakistan as a significant factor in poliovirus transmission, necessitating heightened surveillance and vaccination measures at border crossings.

In a bid to strengthen polio surveillance, Pakistan has pledged to continue its efforts for another three months, with a focus on improving vaccination coverage, particularly in southern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

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Additionally, WHO announced plans to mandate polio vaccination for individuals traveling abroad from Pakistan.

The decision to extend travel restrictions on Pakistan were first imposed in May 2014.