ISLAMABAD: Development partners and donors convened on Tuesday at the National Emergency Operations Centre to renew their commitment and resolve to support the government in its fight back against polio, a disease which has paralysed 21 children so far this year in Pakistan.

According to a statement, the Pakistan Polio Eradication Initiative (PEI) under the leadership of Prime Minister’s Focal Person for Polio Eradication Ayesha Raza Farooq organised a briefing for partners and donors, where they were apprised of the current status of the eradication efforts in the country and the consensus national strategy devised to reverse the current disease trends.

Welcoming polio eradication par­tners and donors, Ms Farooq appreciated their longstanding and un­­wavering dedication to protecting Pakistan’s children from the devastating effects of poliovirus and contributing to overall child survival.

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“The government has made polio eradication a national priority agenda, with the highest commitment, from the Prime Minister’s Office to the Ministry of Health, provincial governments and district administrations,” she said, adding that the provincial government leadership across the political divide was leading the charge on the frontlines.

Virus found its way into 67 districts, affecting 21 children this year alone, says PM’s focal person for polio eradication

“While we remained nearly polio-free for 15 months in 2021, we are fighting an intense poliovirus outbreak since 2023,” she said.

“Unfortunately, 21 children are affected by polio this year only and the virus has found its way into 67 districts, including previously cleared core reservoirs of Karachi, Quetta block and Peshawar-Khyber.”

Ms Farooq, whose office serves as a direct link between the Polio Programme and PM Office, said that a joint roadmap has been formulated following a critical self-appraisal and extensive consultations with the provinces to lead the country towards interrupting poliovirus transmission by mid-2025.

“We have done some serious reflecting and re-grouping over the past several months, taking stock of where we have gone wrong, and where we need to plug gaps in our programme, including surveillance, communications, campaign operations. We are confident that we have made a viable strategy for the path ahead to deliver tangible gains during coming months.”

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Coordinator for the National Polio Emergency Operations Center (EOC) Mohammad Anwarul Haq said: “Even one paralysed child is far too many for any of us working in eradication.

“The programme has, therefore, strategised to find and vaccinate every missed child both in door-to-door campaigns as well as through the complementary vaccination and integrated services delivery approach, particularly in areas with access challenges.”

Representatives from partner agencies and donors appreciated Pakistan’s dedication to the goal of a polio-free world.

The event was attended by the country representatives of World Health Organisa­tion and Unicef, a trustee of the Rotary Foundation, and representatives from major donor organisations such as the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the governments of Japan, the UAE, and Canada, as well as the British and Australian High Commissions, and others.

Published in Dawn, September 25th, 2024