27-03-2012::::: The World Health Organisation (WHO) said that the global polio emergency situation may arise in Pakistan within three months if health workers fail to improve their performance in eradicating polio virus from the country, particularly from Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) where virus was still being detected in children. WHO’s Team Leader in Pakistan Dr Wahab Alanesi expressed these views while speaking to journalists during a meeting organised by UNICEF and government of Balochistan. Speakers have also expressed their dissatisfaction over the performance of anti-polio campaigners, media, politicians and officials involved in anti-polio drive. As many as 14 cases of polio were reported in Pakistan; five from FATA, four from Khyber Pakhtunkwa, two each from Sindh and Balochistan, while the virus was detected in a child in Punjab. There are 400,000 children at risk of being infected with poliovirus in three districts of Balochistan.
Pakistan was among the three countries behind Nigeria and Afghanistan that had failed to achieve its set target for the eradication of poliovirus even in the year 2011. Though, two cases have so far been reported but Balochistan was the high-risk province in the country as the region had reported 73 cases in 2011.
“Most of the cases were reported due to inaccessibility or teams had not reached the areas,” he told the journalists. Alanesi contradicted that lack of awareness, propaganda against anti-polio drive or refusals were the main hurdles during the anti-polio campaign.
The “global polio emergency” will be declared in Pakistan if performance regarding eradicating poliovirus did not improve within three months. “It will tarnish the image of the country because global emergency means there will be complete travelling restriction for Pakistani people across the globe,” he said, adding that cases were being reported in Quetta, Pishin and Qila Abdullah. “These three districts have jeopardised the neighbouring districts because now virus is being detected in such areas where no cases were reported earlier. Media is not playing its due role in the anti-polio drive which is why the situation is alarming in Balochistan,” he added.
Giving the presentation over Balochistan, Dr Alanesi said there had been a dramatic rise in polio cases in 2011 as 73 were reported in a single year, which was almost equal to all cases reported from 2005 to 2010. “Merely 16 percent were refusals and 33 percent because of non-availability of children at the areas where polio teams had visited. Ironically, 43 percent because of the poor performance as teams were not present in the areas,” he said and urged that strict action must be taken against the officials and health workers if they are found negligent. Earlier there were eight percent refusal cases but now they have reached 16 percent.
There must be accountability and proper monitoring, otherwise this country will not be able to become polio-free in this year, the WHO official said.
Dr Yusuf Bezinjo of EPI said most of the cases are being reported in Pashtun-dominated areas while a few children contracted the virus in pre-dominantly Baloch areas. “The religious scholars and local leaders in Pashtun areas must come forward and spread awareness about this incurable disease,” he added.
Media Consultant Altaf Khan, Director General Public Relations Kamran Asad and officials of UNICEF also spoke on the occasion.
Pakistan was among the three countries behind Nigeria and Afghanistan that had failed to achieve its set target for the eradication of poliovirus even in the year 2011. Though, two cases have so far been reported but Balochistan was the high-risk province in the country as the region had reported 73 cases in 2011.
“Most of the cases were reported due to inaccessibility or teams had not reached the areas,” he told the journalists. Alanesi contradicted that lack of awareness, propaganda against anti-polio drive or refusals were the main hurdles during the anti-polio campaign.
The “global polio emergency” will be declared in Pakistan if performance regarding eradicating poliovirus did not improve within three months. “It will tarnish the image of the country because global emergency means there will be complete travelling restriction for Pakistani people across the globe,” he said, adding that cases were being reported in Quetta, Pishin and Qila Abdullah. “These three districts have jeopardised the neighbouring districts because now virus is being detected in such areas where no cases were reported earlier. Media is not playing its due role in the anti-polio drive which is why the situation is alarming in Balochistan,” he added.
Giving the presentation over Balochistan, Dr Alanesi said there had been a dramatic rise in polio cases in 2011 as 73 were reported in a single year, which was almost equal to all cases reported from 2005 to 2010. “Merely 16 percent were refusals and 33 percent because of non-availability of children at the areas where polio teams had visited. Ironically, 43 percent because of the poor performance as teams were not present in the areas,” he said and urged that strict action must be taken against the officials and health workers if they are found negligent. Earlier there were eight percent refusal cases but now they have reached 16 percent.
There must be accountability and proper monitoring, otherwise this country will not be able to become polio-free in this year, the WHO official said.
Dr Yusuf Bezinjo of EPI said most of the cases are being reported in Pashtun-dominated areas while a few children contracted the virus in pre-dominantly Baloch areas. “The religious scholars and local leaders in Pashtun areas must come forward and spread awareness about this incurable disease,” he added.
Media Consultant Altaf Khan, Director General Public Relations Kamran Asad and officials of UNICEF also spoke on the occasion.
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