Pakistan’s fight against poliovirus continues to fall short

ISLAMABAD: A record 69 poliovirus cases have been reported in Pakistan in the past year, while 420 polio cases have been reported from the entire country in the past nine years.

Over the past 12 years, Pakistan has spent over $11 billion to eradicate polio. In addition to this, Pakistan has also received $1 billion from international donors in five years to defeat the poliovirus.

ONLY PAKISTAN AND AFGHANISTAN REMAIN AFFECTED

The poliovirus is currently present in only two countries across the world – Pakistan and Afghanistan. The global polio eradication campaign was launched in 1988 when polio was paralysing over 1,000 children every day. Almost all countries started the war against polio together, which eventually led to a 99 percent reduction in polio cases in merely a few years. More than 2.5 billion children have been fully vaccinated against polio in the ongoing war against polio.

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Billions of dollars have been spent on the ongoing war against polio with the support of developed countries, international organisations and philanthropists. However, completely eliminating the last one per cent of poliovirus cases is still proving difficult in Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Social conflicts, negative propaganda against polio vaccination, political instability, difficulties in reaching remote populations, problems of Afghan refugees and weak basic health system infrastructure are the major obstacles in the eradication of polio.

THE CASE OF PAKISTAN

Recently a report revealed disturbing news about poliovirus in Pakistan, saying that the virus was found in sewage samples in 17 districts across the country. Out of these 10 samples were from districts in Balochistan, including Quetta, Khuzdar, Lasbela, Noshki, Barkhan, Mastung, Duki, Qila Saifullah, Kech and Sibi.

The virus was also found in Lahore, Rahim Yar Khan, Bahawalpur, Gujranwala and DG Khan in Punjab, as well as in Lakki Marwat in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Poliovirus was also found in sewage samples in slums adjacent to the federal capital Islamabad.

The continued prevalence of poliovirus in Pakistan raises serious questions about our health system, especially considering that the fight against this disease that has been going on for 36 years around the world.

In the past our authorities have always come close to declaring that Pakistan has become a polio-free country but stopped short; and till date we have not been able to completely get rid of this terrible virus. Many governments have proven their seriousness in fighting this disease, but still Pakistan has not been able to completely win this war.

RECORDED CASES

In 2024, one polio case was reported from Islamabad, 27 from Balochistan, 19 from Sindh, one from Punjab and 20 from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

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In total, from 2015 to 2024, 420 children have fallen victim to poliovirus. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa tops the list with 212 children, with Sindh coming second with 95 cases. During the last nine years, 82 children have been diagnosed in Balochistan, 32 in Punjab, and one in Islamabad.

In Pakistan, over 100 polio workers and security personnel have also sacrificed their lives in the fight against polio, and about 51 polio workers and security personnel have also been injured.