Pakistan and Afghanistan have commenced polio vaccination drives in response to rising cases, aiming to reach millions of children. Pakistan’s campaign involves 400,000 workers targeting 45 million children, while Afghanistan seeks to vaccinate 6.2 million children in 16 provinces. Both nations face challenges such as vaccine hesitancy, violence against health workers, and organizational delays.
On Monday, Pakistan and Afghanistan initiated new polio vaccination campaigns aiming to address the recent spike in polio cases in these two nations, the only countries currently grappling with endemic poliovirus leading to paralyzing effects in children. The World Health Organization (WHO) reported a total of 64 polio infections in 2024, with 41 cases in Pakistan and 23 in Afghanistan, a marked increase from the six cases reported in each country during 2023. In Pakistan, the government launched a comprehensive weeklong nationwide campaign deploying 400,000 health workers, with an ambitious goal of vaccinating over 45 million children under the age of five against this debilitating disease. Ayesha Raza Farooq, who serves as the prime minister’s advisor on polio eradication, emphasized that this represents Pakistan’s third nationwide vaccination drive this year, undertaken in response to dire trends indicating increased polio cases across 71 districts. A concerning 2024 trend revealed that over half of the reported infections emerged from Balochistan province, which borders Afghanistan and is currently experiencing heightened transmission of the virus. Other regions such as Sindh have also reported cases, accentuating the urgency of vaccination efforts in a country with over 240 million inhabitants. To safeguard children from the irreversible impacts of polio, Anwarul Haq, national coordinator of the Polio Eradication Initiative, called upon parents to support the vaccination teams. He noted, “With the threat at an all-time high, we must act as one nation to keep our children safe through vaccination.” Local and international officials have attributed the increase in polio cases to a combination of factors, including widespread vaccine hesitancy in rural areas fueled by misinformation portraying vaccination campaigns as attempts to sterilize Muslim children. Furthermore, violence from anti-government militants, particularly in regions bordering Afghanistan, has posed significant risks, resulting in numerous attacks on health workers and their security personnel. In Afghanistan, health officials have announced a three-day polio vaccination drive targeting 6.2 million children in 16 provinces, primarily in areas adjacent to the Pakistan border. This campaign has commenced after an unexpected pause in vaccination efforts in Kandahar province, initiated by the Taliban without public justification. Observers suggest that this delay may have been motivated by the Taliban’s fears regarding potential surveillance operations during the vaccination process. The Taliban, currently governing Afghanistan with an iron fist, has imposed significant restrictions on women’s rights, including barring educational opportunities and forbidding women from entering the workforce. WHO officials assert that the path to polio eradication in Afghanistan necessitates the inclusion of large migrant populations in vaccination initiatives, reaching out to vaccine-resistant communities, and establishing a dedicated female health worker team to meet the underlying challenges present in this underdeveloped region.
Polio remains a critical public health issue in Pakistan and Afghanistan, where erratic vaccination efforts have allowed the disease to persist. Both nations have faced numerous challenges, including security threats from militant groups, misinformation about the vaccine, and societal barriers to health care access, which hinder efforts to achieve widespread immunity against this paralytic disease. The WHO has been involved in supporting vaccination drives while also addressing the societal factors contributing to polio’s resurgence.
The simultaneous launch of polio vaccination campaigns in Pakistan and Afghanistan underscores the urgency to combat the alarming rise in cases of this preventable disease. With significant efforts mobilized by both nations and the guidance of international health organizations, it is imperative to address the multifactorial barriers to vaccination, including safety concerns, community hesitance, and the repercussions of violence. The collaborative efforts aim to eliminate polio and prevent the dire consequences faced by affected children in the region.
Original Source: www.voanews.com
