ISLAMABAD: The Senate Standing Committee on National Health Services (NHS) expressed concern regarding rising polio cases in Pakistan after 27 cases were reported just this year.

During a meeting on Wednesday, committee members suggesting calling in former focal person on polio Babar Bin Atta to determine how the number of polio cases rose from eight in 2017 to 146 in 2019.

Senator Ayesha Raza Farooq, who is from the PML-N and served as the focal person on polio during the last PML-N government, said that the polio situation was under control while Dr Rana Safdar was in charge of the polio programme.

The number of cases fell from 306 to eight under Dr Safdar. Senator Farooq suggested that Mr Atta be called to a committee meeting and asked why cases increased.

Independent Senator Dilawar Khan agreed with her suggestion, saying people should know who was responsible for this situation.

Polio programme head says budget allocation for EPI should be reconsidered

Committee chair Senator Khushbakht Shujaat said the poliovirus has been eradicated in many countries but has become a problem in Pakistan.

PPP Senator Behramand Tangi said most polio cases have been reported from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

He suggested the committee hold a single-agenda meeting on polio.

Dr Safdar, the national coordinator of the Emergency Operation Centre on Polio, who served at this post under the PML-N before being removed and then reappointed by the PTI, said that the budget allocation for the Expanded Programme of Immunisation (EPI) should be reconsidered.

Dr Safdar told Dawn that the EPI should be moved from the development budget to the regular budget, as children will continue to be born.

He added that Pakistan has been tackling this is in ‘project mode’ since 1978.

He said that there has always been an issue with low allocations and even lower releases, which effects the implementation of planned activities in a timely manner.

The committee decided to seek a thorough presentation on the percentage and coverage of immunisation and vaccination of children under the EPI, as well as a separate report on polio programme statistics and what has being done to control the damage that has been done in the recent past that resulted in the high number of cases.

The NHS committee also discussed in detail discriminationin promotions at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences, the proliferation of private hospitals and clinics in the capital, appointments in the Health Service Academy, delays in the functioning of the healthcare authority and the promotion of medical students to their next academic year in the case of the compartment of papers.

The committee recommended that budget session allowance be granted to doctors and paramedical staff who work beyond routine hours in Parliament House the same way that other government departments receive this allowance.

The NHS ministry told the committee there was no second opinion in this matter and the delay had occurred solely due to the lack of finances, for which a summary has been moved.

Published in Dawn, March 12th, 2020