Time and again, international healthcare agencies have warned Pakistan to avoid complacency and negligence to eradicate polio virus from the country. Yet the country not only witnessed a spike in cases last year but has also struggled with vaccination drives. The constant social and political upheaval has impeded vaccination efforts, particularly in the south of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. Now the Independent Monitoring Board (IMB) has expressed concern about potential disruption to the polio programme before, during and after forthcoming national elections.
Public mistrust and conspiracy theories have already harmed vaccination efforts. Successive governments and health authorities’ failure to restore public trust and inability to ensure smooth continuation of programmes after regime changes have further affected programmes’ success. Frequent attacks on polio vaccinators and law enforcement officials accompanying them have further intensified the challenge. Communities and families see the campaigns as something being imposed upon them rather than a service provided for their benefit. Perhaps, the health authorities and programme coordinators need to factor in the communication gap when implementing their vaccination campaigns. Instead of following a standardised approach, one tailored in accordance with different regions and provinces should be used.
Considering that the polio programme benefited from a recent period of strong political support and involvement, the caretaker government should offer similar support and assistance to the programme coordinators to maintain the momentum. Pakistan’s younger generation must not fall prey to this debilitating disease due to the callousness and negligence of those at the helm. The least our political leaders can do for the masses is play an active role and forge consensus with opponents to prevent interruptions and delays in polio eradication efforts.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 15th, 2023.
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