Lacking the requisite quality of polio vaccination and pathetic sanitation system in Pakistan have induced steep rises in Polio-virus cases especially in Sindh, a southern province of the country,
detecting some 26 polio cases in the province last year, which hindered the hectic and ambitious efforts of the government and foreign donors for the obliteration of polio from Pakistan.
Every year billions of rupees have been provided to Expended Program on Immunization (EPI) for polio vaccination in the country by the international donor agencies including United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF). However, a lion’s share of the apportioned fund is misappropriated by applicable health officials in connivance with Executive District Officers (EDOs) and Town Health Officers (THOs). Resultantly vaccination could not reach to a large number of children.
The EPI was launched in 1978. It aims to protect children from Childhood Tuberculosis, Poliomyelitis, Diphtheria, Pertussis, Measles, Tetanus and also their mothers from Tetanus.
The Program has significantly progressed during the period of time in terms of immunization coverage and disease reduction and has developed its own surveillance system, cold chain system, field supervisory mechanism, regular monitoring system, evaluation strategy and sufficient trained manpower at all levels throughout the country.
Federal Ministry of health provides support to the program through PC1, the first of which developed for 1994-95 to 1998-99. The current PC1 is for the period 2004-2005 to 2008-2009 with a total cost of Rs. 11.484 billion.
The Health Department of Sindh blames recent devastating floods for increasing numbers of polio cases. They maintain polio cases may have been reduced if the flood not hit the province.
Medical experts believe that eradication of polio could only possible with contributing radical improvement in the sanitation system, besides proper vaccination. They say government should address these problems if it is serious in saving the children from polio-virus.
In-charge Children Ward no.2 at Civil Hospital Karachi (CHK) Professor Aisha Minhaz says polio is incurable disease. “If it hits any child he could never live a normal life.” She advised the parents to take proactive measures and get their children proper vaccination.
Prof Mihnaz said dozens of normal children could be affected by single child carrying polio-virus. She said when poliovirus attacks a child, it abruptly affects his limbs. She also suggested improving sanitation and cleanliness in urban and rural areas in order to control this disease.
Dr. Qaisar Sajjad, ex-President Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) regrets that despite all tall claims, our government has failed to eradicate and control this disease. He said that polio had been eradicated completely in even countries like Bangladesh, but Pakistan is still suffering from this curse.
He urged to improve sanitation and cleanliness system for the obliteration of the illness. He refused the perception in society that taking polio vaccination may leave negative impacts on child health.
Dr. Sajjad said clerics, media and politicians should come forward to create awareness among people in order to eliminate this curse. Parents should administer polio drops to their children less than 5 years of age, he added.
Provincial Program Manager EPI, Mohammed Mazhar Khumasani told TNT that 26 polio cases have been reported in the province during the year 2010.
He said that 12 cases of polio were reported from Ghotki.
These cases include: Abdullah, 3, son of Mohammed Younus, who had taken 3 routine and 10 extra dozes of polio vaccine. He was tested for P-1 virus which affected his right leg.
Sweera, 5, d/o Shahzaz Ali, had taken 3 routine and 10 extra dozes of polio vaccine. She was examined for P-1 virus which affected her right leg.
Afsana, 1, d/o Mohammed Moosa, took zero routine and 5 extra dozes of polio vaccine. She was tested for P-1 virus which affected her both legs.
Maqsood, 6-month, s/o Jamo Khan, took zero routine and 3 extra dozes of polio vaccine. He was tested for P-1 virus which affected his left leg.
Three and a half years old Asma, d/o Peeral Faqeer, took 3 routine and 10 extra dozes of polio vaccine. She was tested for P-1 virus which affected her left leg.
Shahzia, 6, d/o Shoaib, took 3 routine and 10 extra dozes of polio vaccine. She was tested for P-1 virus which affected her right leg.
Mubeena, 13, d/o Mohammed Nawaz, took 0 routine and 5 extra dozes of polio vaccine. She was diagnosed P-1 virus which affected her right limb.
Zaheer, 8-months, s/o Mohammed, took 3 routine and 5 extra dozes of polio vaccine. He was tested for P-1 virus which affected his left leg. Saddaro, 1.5 years old, s/o Ghulam Husain, took zero routine and 10 extra dozes of polio vaccine. He was tested P-1 virus.
Wajid Ali, 1, s/o Lutufullah, had taken zero routine and 6 extra dozes polio vaccine. He was tested P-1 virus which affected his right leg.
Riaz, one and half years old, s/o Kalo, had taken zero routine and 10 extra dozes polio vaccine. He was tested P-1 virus which affected his right leg.
Kashmiran, 3, did not any doze of polio vaccine. She was tested P-1 virus which affected her right leg.
Two polio cases were reported in district Sanghar. They include Sohani, 12, d/o Meerajar, taken zero routine and 6 extra dozes of polio vaccine. She was tested P-1 virus which affected her right limb; and Tayyab, 8, s/o Ghulam Parwer, taken 3 routine and 6 extra dozes polio vaccine. He was tested P-1 virus which affected his left leg.
In district Khairpur, Hina, 1.5, d/o Ghulam Hussain, had taken only 10 dozes of polio vaccine. She was tested P-1 virus which affected her both legs. In the same district Ghulam Asghar, 4, s/o Himat Ali, had takne 10 dozes of polio vaccine. He was tested P-1 virus.
Resident of Sukkur, Aziza, 3, daughter of Nazar Ali had taken 15 extra dozes of polio vaccine. She was tested P-1 virus which affected her all limbs.
In Kamber-Shahdadkot district, Samia, 1, d/o Mohammed Suleman had taken 2 routine and 7 extra dozes of polio vaccine. She was tested for P-1 virus which affected her both legs.
Yaseen, 30-months, s/o Mohammed Khan, also of Kamber-Shahdadkot district, had taken 10 extra dozes of polio vaccine. He was tested P-1 virus. Five-years-old Deedar son of Gul Sher had taken one routine and 10 extra doses of vaccine; however, polio affected both of his legs.
Resident of Hyderabad, Mohamed Bilal, 1, s/o Abdul Rasheed had taken 10 extra dozes of polio vaccine. He was tested positive for P-1 virus.
Badar-u-Din, 2.5 years, s/o Ali Murad of Jacobabad had taken 10 extra dozes of polio vaccine. He was found positive P-1 virus. Resident of Kashmore, Hafeez, 4, s/o Haji Sadho took 10 extra dozes of polio vaccine. He was diagnosed P-1 virus positive which affected his right leg and left arm.
Three cases of polio were also detected in provincial capital of Sindh, Karachi.
2.5-years-old, Nasseb son of Naeem Jan, resident of Ghulshan-e-Iqbal was detected P-3 virus positive, which affected his all limbs. He took only 7 extra dozes polio vaccine. Mariam, 7-months, d/o Rasool Baksh took only 5 extra dozes of polio vaccine. She was tested for P-1 virus which affected both legs and left arm. She is resident of Kornagi.
Resident of SITE Town, 6 year-old Zahida had taken 3 routine and 15 extra dozes of polio vaccine. Her both legs and limbs were affected.
The gender-wise distribution of polio cases from Sindh shows, 12 patients were baby girls and 14 baby boys. Their ages range from 6 months to 13 years.
Polio has been eradicated from 122 countries of the world but unfortunately Pakistan, India, Afghanistan and Nigeria are still braving this dreaded disease.
Sources in the health department sat that polio vaccines are sometimes not stored at required temperature. They said these vaccines also go expired due to non-use. They said some 5000 capsules of vitamins A were recovered from a roadside garbage dump in Baldia Town about five months ago.
Sindh Health Minister Dr. Sagheer Ahmed told The News Tribe that due to the recent floods in country more polio cases were reported this year. He said all-out efforts were being made to control the poliovirus.
According to the WHO guidelines, a country could be declared polio-free when there was not even a single polio case for a period of three consecutive years. Collective efforts are needed for the eradication of fatal disease like polio from the country and solid measures will have to be adopted to save the children from this menace.—M.B Tahir
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