Imran alarmed at spike in polio cases

By NewsdeskISLAMABAD: Expressing serious concern over the recent spike in polio cases, Prime Minister Imran Khan said on Wednesday that eradication of polio was the top-most priority of the government as it affects the future generation.Chairing a high-level meeting on the rise in polio cases in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and other parts of the country, the Prime Minister directed officials concerned in the federal as well as provincial governments to undertake effective awareness and immunisation campaigns to check the incidence of polio.He also stressed the need for a robust partnership between Ehsaas and polio eradication programme for synergized implementation of the two vital programmes.The meeting was attended by Chief Minister KP Mehmood Khan, Chief Minister Balochistan Jam Kamal Khan, Special Assistant on Health Dr Zafar Mirza, PM’s focal person on Polio Eradication Initiative Babar bin Atta, Engineer-in-Chief of Pakistan Army Lt Gen Moazzam Ejaz, High Commissioner of Canada to Pakistan Wendy Gilmore, federal secretary Health, chief secretaries of Punjab, KP, Sindh and Balochistan, besides representatives from Unicef, WHO, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and senior officials.Atta briefed the meeting on the measures being taken and the future strategy for polio eradication. He informed the participants about the report of International Monitoring Board for the year 2017-18 identifying loopholes in the strategy at that time which led to the recent spike of polio cases in some parts of the country, particularly Bannu division.The focal person also briefed the meeting on the new strategy based on four new pillars — a shift from push to pull; from disease control to eradication; ownership at the highest level and ensuring complete accountability at the operational level.He also highlighted various measures being taken for perception management, including engagement with social media platforms to counter anti-vaccine propaganda, involving mainstream media for a mass awareness campaign and establishing 24/7 call centre for the purpose.Chief ministers of KP and Balochistan and the chief secretaries of Punjab and Sindh apprised the meeting of the measures taken for polio eradication in their respective provinces. The representative of Pakistan Army assured full support to polio teams in their efforts to reach out to the children in far-flung areas of the country.Representatives of international partners and donors also assured their continued cooperation to the Pakistan government in polio eradication mission. On the occasion, Dr Tim Peterson, Deputy Director Polio Bill & Melinda Gates, presented a letter of appreciation from Bill Gates to Prime Minister Khan for the efforts being made to eliminate the crippling disease.A report prepared by the KP government for the meeting stated that in the last year no polio case surfaced in the province, however, the situation this year was different as 41 cases were reported in 10 districts of the province. Three of the cases were from Bannu division of the province. According to the report, 80 per cent of polio cases were reported from Pakhtun community areas and a major reason attributed to the rise of polio cases was the security situation in the province.

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