Govt reaffirms its commitment against poliovirus, speaks of close collaboration with partners

ISLAMABAD: The government reaffirmed its commitment to eradicating poliovirus from the country with the close collaboration of global and local partners.

This was stated by the Coordinator to the Prime Minister on National Health Services, Dr Malik Mukhtar Ahmad Bharath, while chairing the Technical Advisory Group (TAG) meeting on polio eradication.

The meeting was attended by the key stakeholders, including representatives from federal and provincial governments, esteemed partners, and donor organisations.

Dr Bharath, while expressing confidence in the continued support of global partners and donors and welcoming the participants, said that it was a pivotal time for Pakistan’s polio eradication efforts, as the country intensifies its drive to overcome the remaining challenges in its fight against polio.

He emphasized the government’s unwavering commitment to eradicating polio and reiterated the dedication of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who has declared polio eradication a national priority and consistently supports initiatives to strengthen routine immunisation and tackle immunity gaps in high-risk areas.

“We are resolute in our mission to rid Pakistan of polio once and for all. Despite challenges such as vaccine hesitancy, access issues, and operational hurdles, our efforts are guided by a clear vision to protect every child in every corner of the country,” said Dr Bharath.

“The federal and provincial governments, alongside our partners, are working tirelessly to address gaps in immunisation, nutrition, and hygiene. With strengthened cross-border collaboration with Afghanistan, enhanced environmental surveillance, and increased resources, we are optimistic about interrupting virus transmission in 2025,” he added.

The meeting was informed that in 2024 the health authorities across the country reported a total 73 poliovirus cases as the latest case of 2024 was confirmed by the National Institute of Health (NIH) on January 16, 2025. The polio case was confirmed from District Thatta of Sindh province the onset of this case was on December 10, 2024.

This is the first polio case from Thatta for 2024. Pakistan has been responding to an intense resurgence of WPV1 with 73 cases reported in 2024. Of these, 27 are from Balochistan, 22 from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 22 from Sindh, and one each from Punjab and Islamabad.

Polio is a paralysing disease that has no cure. Multiple doses of the oral polio vaccine and completion of the routine vaccination schedule for all children under the age of five are essential to provide children high immunity against this terrible disease.

The Pakistan Polio Programme conducts multiple mass vaccination drives in a year, bringing the vaccine to children at their doorsteps, while the Expanded Programme on Immunization provides vaccinations against 12 childhood disease free of charge at health facilities.

The year’s first polio vaccination campaign is scheduled to be conducted nationwide from February 3–9, 2025. It is crucial for parents to ensure vaccination for all their children under the age of five to keep them protected.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2025