By Abdul Qadir Qureshi
(Pakistan News and Features Services)
Aziz Memon, Chairman of Rotary International’s
PolioPlus Committee, has expressed the eagerness to learn
from India’s success in eradicating polio from Pakistan, one of three nations
still registering indigenous transmission of wild poliovirus.
“India have not recorded a single case of polio since
January 13, 2011, a fact acknowledged by the World Health Organization (WHO).
Their success in the eradication of polio, serves as a beacon of hope for the
nations like Pakistan, Afghanistan and Nigeria who are still struggling to
control polio,” Aziz Memon, having served as the Governor of Rotary
International’s District 3270 covering Afghanistan and Pakistan, remarked in an
interview with the PNFS in Karachi on September 25.
“Pakistan could imbibe invaluable lessons from its neighbour
about eradicating polio. This is vitally important because Pakistan had
experienced the world’s largest nationwide outbreak of polio in 2011 with 198
reported cases,” he added.
“As of June 8, 2012, Pakistan had reported 21 cases of wild
poliovirus, compared to 52 cases during the same period in 2011. Insurgency and
security-related dangers don’t allow our national polio programme to
consistently reach children in certain areas of FATA. Also the sub-optimal
management of the programme at the sub-district level in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa,
Sindh and Balochistan has seen inconsistent polio campaigns, with many children
being missed during immunisation drives,” the Rotary official regretted.
‘In order to overcome the challenges, Rotary International
has undertaken vigorous efforts in promoting the Polio Eradication Campaign in
Pakistan, just as it did in India. Along with its partners, UNICEF and WHO,
Rotary’s PolioPlus Committee in Pakistan has been overseeing eradication
efforts. Pakistan has emulated India by roping in celebrity ambassadors to
advance the cause of polio eradication and the most popular cricketer of the
country, Shahid Afridi, is a part of the Polio Eradication Campaign,” Aziz
Memon noted.
“We have also adopted best-practice modules from India like
the identification of high-risk blocks, roping in religious leaders from
different sects in door-to-door campaigns, conducting health camps to augment
abysmal healthcare services, and producing social mobilisation materials for
Information, Education and Communication on Polio. During NIDs (National
Immunisation Days) and SNIDs (Sub-National Immunisation Days), Rotary Clubs in
Pakistan work alongside government health workers during immunisation drives
and also collaborate with multinational companies to boost awareness levels,”
he added.
“The Rotary Clubs in Pakistan have been more proactive and
persist with polio camps, walks and workshops that drive awareness and
eradication efforts. Pakistan PolioPlus Committee has installed billboards in
high-risk districts for national campaigns, with some billboards being
permanent. As per the government’s request, an additional 45,000 vaccine
carriers have been made to ensure quality of activities don’t suffer,” he
disclosed.
“The Pakistani authorities are firmly committed to
implementing eradication efforts to ensure polio spikes within its borders are
curbed. To facilitate the success of its anti-polio initiatives, we sought
India’s support in this drive. Apart from the exchange of delegations between
the two nations, Pakistan’s serious intent is also evident from the fact that
Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari is personally involved in the campaign
against polio,” Aziz Memon explained.
“Concerted and sustained efforts on the part of all
stakeholders, public and private entities, partnerships and the public, for
polio to be finally eradicated from Pakistan are essential because a failure to
do so will leave open the perennial threat of wild poliovirus making a
surreptitious comeback in other geographies too; that is something Pakistan,
and the world, can ill afford at this crucial juncture,” he warned.
