Daily Times

The first polio drive of the year 2023 is currently underway in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, with Punjab set to begin on January 16, to be followed by Sindh and Balochistan. Polio eradication should be the new year’s resolution of the government, and in this regard, all government organs, particularly health authorities, and the general public should take full ownership of the campaigns to assure the success of the impending national polio immunisation effort. It is an international embarrassment that Pakistan still holds polio cases. Nothing should be more vital during polio campaigns than developing an analysis of vaccination usage trends so that polio cases are kept under constant surveillance. The most crucial concern, however, is the safety and well-being of polio workers throughout Pakistan, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Seven police officers and a similar number of medical professionals were killed by terrorists last year while participating in vaccination efforts. Up to 42,000 officers were deployed for the 16 drives in the province to guard the vaccination teams. The teams were violently attacked 14 times. All 20 polio cases reported last year were from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, making this campaign essential for the province.

Polio workers’ financial health ought to come first for the government. Frontline polio workers in 22 impacted regions who were hit by the floods received checks from federal health minister Abdul Qadir Patel. The Pakistan Polio Programme should be commended for its thorough analysis of the losses polio workers endured this summer when record rains and flooding hit 33 million people. The workers who will receive financial assistance have residences that were either completely or partially damaged by the flooding. The program’s evaluation found that the floods had an impact on about 12,500 polio health professionals. As usual, polio workers have undoubtedly gone way beyond the call of duty for Pakistan, and we must make sure that the impacted families get this help as quickly as possible. Winter has arrived, and it is critical that we assist them in reconstructing their homes. Polio workers face not only weather and terror-related challenges but also many community misconceptions about immunization.

All of these variables highlight the need for both security arrangements and community participation in a successful polio vaccination campaign. Pakistan achieved considerable achievements before regressing. However, a polio-free Pakistan is achievable with more vaccination programmes, increased security, and ongoing community engagement efforts. *