WHO raises alarm on polio cases in Pakistan, Afghanistan

GENEVA: The World Health Organization’s (WHO) Polio Emergency Committee has expressed deep concern regarding the rapid increase in polio cases in both Pakistan and Afghanistan.

The committee has identified political instability, precarious law and order situations, and underprivileged communities as major hurdles impeding the complete eradication of polio.

In response to this alarming situation, the Emergency Committee has issued pivotal recommendations. It strongly advises individuals from Pakistan and Afghanistan who are traveling abroad to ensure they receive polio vaccinations. Of particular note is the committee’s emphasis on the potential transmission of polio from Pakistan to Malawi and Mozambique.

To tackle this potential threat, the committee suggests the implementation of a mandatory polio vaccination certificate for Pakistani travelers embarking on international journeys. Similarly, the committee highlights the significance of Malawian and Mozambican citizens obtaining polio vaccinations before traveling abroad, thus diminishing the risk of disease importation.

WHO’s Polio Emergency Committee underscores the urgent need for these measures to arrest the continued spread of this incapacitating ailment. It highlights the collective global endeavor required to ultimately eliminate polio.

KP set to administer polio vaccine to 2.72m children