Pakistan Faces Challenges in Eradicating Polio: 14th Case Reported in Balochistan
Pakistan Faces Challenges in Eradicating Polio: 14th Case Reported in Balochistan
Pakistan continues to grapple with polio, with the country and neighboring Afghanistan being the only two places where the poliovirus is still endemic. On August 10, the 14th polio case of 2024 was reported from Qilla Saifullah district in Balochistan, bringing the total number of cases in the country to 13 for the year.
Since 2015, Pakistan has reported a total of 362 polio cases. Despite administering more than 300 million doses of oral vaccine annually with the help of at least 350,000 vaccinators and spending over USD 9.3 billion from 2013 to 2023, the country has been unable to eradicate polio.
The highly infectious polio disease can cause paralysis and is transmitted through contaminated water or food, or contact with an infected person. Treatment includes bed rest, pain relievers, rehabilitation, and portable ventilators.
Dr. Hamid Jafari, WHO's regional director of polio eradication, highlighted challenges in southern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province due to militancy, insecurity, and community hostility. Over 50 districts across Pakistan are detecting the virus, and the polio program and security personnel are being targeted, with 102 polio workers and security personnel killed, including six this year.
The latest victim is an 11-month-old infant from Qila, Balochistan, who succumbed to paralysis caused by the wild poliovirus. Other cases in Balochistan have been reported in Chaman, Quetta, Zhob, Dera Bugti, and Jhal Magsi. The situation is worsened by inadequate vaccination coverage and persistent misconceptions about the vaccine.
Doubts Revealed
Polio
Polio is a disease caused by a virus that can make people very sick, sometimes causing paralysis (where you can't move parts of your body) or even death. It mostly affects children.
Balochistan
Balochistan is a province in Pakistan. It's a large area with many mountains and deserts.
Vaccine doses
Vaccine doses are the medicine given to people to protect them from getting sick with diseases like polio. They are usually given as shots or drops.
USD 9.3 billion
USD 9.3 billion means 9.3 billion US dollars, which is a lot of money. This amount was spent by Pakistan to try to stop polio from spreading.
Endemic
Endemic means that a disease is regularly found in a certain area. In this case, polio is still found in Pakistan even though they are trying to get rid of it.
Militancy
Militancy means the use of strong, sometimes violent actions to support a cause. In Pakistan, some groups use violence, making it hard to give vaccines to everyone.
Insecurity
Insecurity means not being safe. In some parts of Pakistan, it's dangerous for people, including those giving vaccines, because of violence and attacks.
Community hostility
Community hostility means that some people in the community are not friendly or are against something. In this case, some people don't trust the vaccines or the people giving them.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is another province in Pakistan. It's in the northwestern part of the country and has many mountains.
Districts
Districts are smaller areas within a province or country. They are like neighborhoods or sections of a city but bigger.
Polio workers
Polio workers are people who help give out the polio vaccines to protect children from getting sick.
Security personnel
Security personnel are people who help keep others safe, like police officers or guards. They protect the polio workers while they give out vaccines.
Qila
Qila is a place in Balochistan, Pakistan. It's where the latest polio case was found.
Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *