olio, also known as poliomyelitis, is a highly infectious viral disease which may cause permanent paralysis, even death.

Pakistan faces a chronic problem of polio, a debilitating and sometimes lethal disease resulting from poliovirus. Polio has weighed down on the country for decades, with new cases emerging each year.

Since 1994, the Pakistan Polio Eradication Programme has been trying to end the crippling poliovirus in the country. Today, polio is a problem only in three countries: Pakistan, Afghanistan and Nigeria. After the launch of the Polio Eradication Programme in 1994, the number of polio cases in Pakistan decreased from 20,000 annually in 1990 to eight in 2018. The wild poliovirus Type 1 (cases in Pakistan decreased from 147 in 2019 and 84 in 2020 to a single case in 2021, but rose to 14 in 2022. In 2023, three children have been paralysed by polio in Pakistan.

Despite the progress made to reduce the number of polio cases, newly identified polio outbreaks demonstrate the necessity to continue watching, intensifying immunisation measures and re-committing to eradicating polio in Pakistan.

Polio is not just a public health concern for Pakistan. It is an intricate problem inextricably linked to culture, society and politics.

The challenges include reaching remote and underserved regions and vaccinating those who move about within the population.

Pakistan utilises strategies such as mobile vaccination teams and transit-point immunisation for reaching out to children located in high-risk zones. However, vaccination campaigns have failed in some communities because of misinformation and vaccine hesitancy. The issue demands targeted educational and community efforts.

This may result in missing vaccinations for children who experience frequent population movements such as internal displacement and/ or migration.

Inadequate healthcare infrastructure in some regions disrupts the delivery of vaccines or healthcare services.

The vaccinators and healthcare workers are confronted by security threats, especially in conflict-affected areas. For vaccination campaigns, their safety is paramount.

One of the cheapest methods of fighting diseases is through vaccination. Vaccines provide defence against afflictions like polio. With high immunisation levels, the population achieves herd immunity that protects infants and people with other health concerns.

The world is close to eliminating polio. Pakistan’s unwavering pledge to eradicate the disease is not merely a national goal but an essential contribution to international initiatives for making polio the second human disease to be wiped out, following smallpox.

In terms of immunisation, Pakistan has introduced progressive practices such as mobile vaccine teams, community-based nurses and monitors for tracking vaccination data.

The NEOC was established as a mechanism for coordinating polio eradication efforts conducted by federal and provincial partnerships.

Communities must be actively involved in successful vaccination campaigns.

Although substantial advances have been made, the war against polio cannot be considered won. There’s a need to sustain high vaccination coverage, especially in high-risk areas.

Myth-dispelling public awareness campaigns and health education programmes can help facilitate vaccine uptake.

Significant strides in polio eradication can be made through creative strategies, strong political will and international collaboration.

The significance of vaccination can never be overstated; with each dose given, we inch towards victory in our fight against polio.

Steps taken today will affect the health of future generations.

The writer is a global public health consultant. He can be reached at Ziauddin.islam@gmail.com