With just eight cases of polio in 2017 and 12 in 2018, the authorities were predicting that 2019 may be the zero-polio year for Pakistan. But it now seems that this may be the worst year on polio front since 1994 when the state took the responsibility for polio vaccination upon itself. For the first time, a vaccination campaign has been suspended following a spike in attacks on polio teams across Pakistan and the killing of two police officers in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa – one in Bannu and another in Buner. A woman worker has also been killed. Meanwhile, eight polio cases have been reported so far this year – two were reported just this week. The worst might come as summer peaks.
Some media outlets have been guilty of reporting as fact a rumour that 75 students from a Peshawar school had to be hospitalized after being administered polio drops. Soon, some talk show hosts and many social media users were poisoning people’s minds with unfounded religious and medical references against the vaccine. The Peshawar incident and the ensuing media coverage have resulted in an 85 per cent hike in vaccine refusals across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa alone. Rumour mongers are never asked to explain how it is that the same vaccination has helped eradicate the disease form the entire Muslim world except for three countries – Pakistan, Afghanistan and Nigeria. Most of those attacking the polio teams and possibly all of those spreading the rumours about vaccination teams want Pakistan to remain isolated from the world.
The nation should stand by its polio workers. They are our heroes. They have braved terrorist attacks, misguided parents, harsh weather, rugged terrains and the shamelessly low wages to make the country polio-free. It is high time we honoured their work and achievement. The best way to honour their sacrifices is to provide them fool proof security so that the vaccination can be resumed immediately. The government and the civil society should do their best to counter the anti-vaccine propaganda. So far, there has been no serious effort to address the problem. Laws should be updated to penalize those who obstruct the vaccinators’ work. It is heartening to hear that a man in Rawalpindi is to be prosecuted for harassing polio teams. Those creating the problem in Peshawar have also been arrested. These are good developments, but stricter laws and law enforcement may be needed to ensure that Pakistan reaches the zero-polio stage at the earliest. *