Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: The government of Japan on Friday announced that they would be providing $3.2 million for the procurement of equipment to the Regional Reference Laboratory for polio eradication, located in the National Institute of Health in Islamabad.

With the procurement of state-of-the-art molecular-biology equipment including genetic analysers, real time Polymerase Chain Reaction machines, incubators and freezers, among others, the laboratory will significantly enhance its sample processing capacity. Through this new equipment, the RRL will improve the speed of the results reported from stool samples it receives, of people suffering from acute flaccid paralysis, in addition to samples taken from the sewage in areas identified as being at risk of polio. In 2017 alone, the RRL tested 30,000 stool samples and 950 environmental samples coming from both Pakistan and Afghanistan.

In addition, the Japanese grant will be used to replace aging stocks of cold chain materials, reagents and other essential equipment needed to be able to accurately isolate and identify the wild polio virus from the stool and environmental samples.

In an event hosted by the Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations & Coordination, the notes corresponding to this grant were officially signed by the representatives of the government of Japan, Japan’s International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and the World Health Organisation (WHO).

Speaking at the signing ceremony, National Health Services, Regulations & Coordination Federal Minister Saira Afzal Tarar said, “The steady support of the government of Japan and other partners and the strong partnership have been crucial elements of the programme’s tremendous progress over the past two years. The new grant will help strengthen polio surveillance through adaptation of new technology and contribute towards polio eradication in the country.”

Ambassador of Japan to Pakistan Takashi Kurai said, “Maintaining the strong polio surveillance system that has been established in Pakistan remains critical for eradication work. We are pleased to be a part of this honourable initiative. However, in order to eradicate polio altogether from Pakistan, it’s not sufficient to promote vaccination activities. We should also address the unawareness of the matter among the people and the need for building up of the necessary infrastructure for enhancing the activities. Japan will continue to support Pakistan for polio eradication from a wider perspective in order to achieve the complete eradication of polio.”

JICA Pakistan Chief Representative Yasuhiro Tojo said, “JICA is supporting polio programme and routine immunisation since 1996 and 2001 respectively. I sincerely believe that through the concerted implementation of this grant aid, the polio surveillance system will progress across the provinces and districts. This will improve the routine immunisation situation in the country including polio that will help the government of Pakistan not only to eradicate polio but also to sustain polio-free Pakistan after eradication.”

Pakistan’s Polio Eradication Programme (PEP) has come a long way toward building a future in which polio no longer endangers children, families and communities across the country. Only eight polio cases were recorded in 2017, compared to 20 in 2016 and 54 in 2015.

“Japan’s support comes during a critical time when the role of polio surveillance, particularly a well-functioning laboratory, is more important than ever,” Polio Eradication & Emergency Support Manager Christopher Maher said.

The government of Japan has supported the Polio Eradication Initiative in Pakistan since 1996. Approximately $224 million, including this grant of $3.2 million has been given to Pakistan to strengthen the PEP and curb this crippling disease.

Published in Daily Times, March 3^rd 2018.