Japan announces $3.1mn grant for polio eradication in Pakistan

The Government of Japan has announced a new $3.1 million grant to procure essential oral vaccines as part of its continued support to polio eradication efforts in Pakistan, the National Emergency Operations Centre (NEOC) reported on Wednesday.

Pakistan will use these funds to procure more than 20.22 million doses of vaccines to support polio campaigns in 2025, NEOC said.

Pakistan has so far reported 59 polio cases this year.

Of these, 26 are from Balochistan, 16 from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 15 from Sindh, and one each from Punjab and Islamabad.

The new funding is part of the continuous support from Japan to the Polio Eradication Programme since 1996, it added.

“To date, the grant and loan contribution from the Government of Japan has amounted to approximately $242.2mn to support the polio programme in Pakistan through UNICEF.

“Japan has supported Pakistan to eradicate polio for nearly 30 years despite hindrance such as floods, COVID, and terrorist attacks.”

Charge d’ Affaires ad interim of Japan to Pakistan, Shuichi Takano was quoted as saying that Japan renewed its commitment to continue to promote routine immunisation including polio vaccination in Pakistan as 2024 marked the 70th anniversary of Japan’s Official Development Assistance (ODA) to Pakistan.

PM Shehbaz vows polio eradication from Pakistan as toll reaches 41 in 2024

With the current surge in polio cases in the country, the government is determined to implement an “extensive and strategic action plan” in 2025 aimed at eradicating this life-threatening disease among children.

“Each national immunisation drive targets over 45.4 million children under the age of five, with more than 400,000 frontline workers, predominantly women, playing a crucial role in ensuring the Polio Programme’s outreach,” the Polio Eradication Initiative (PEI) said.

2024: unvaccinated children account for 60% of polio cases, official says

Prime Minister’s Coordinator On Health Dr Mukhtar Bharath chaired the first meeting of the steering committee to improve the children’s vaccination programme.

According to a statement released by the Ministry Of National Health Services Dr Mukhtar Bharath said 60% of this year’s polio cases involved children who had not received any routine immunisation vaccines and this led to an increase in the severity of diseases among children, PTV News reported.

Dr Bharath directed federal and provincial authorities to take immediate action and ensure the delivery of vaccines for polio and other diseases to every child.