ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: Polio cases have sharply declined across the country as only 24 polio cases have so far been reported in 2015 as compared to 306 cases last year.
The official sources said that the decline has occurred due to the anti-polio campaigns which proved successful after the military operation in volatile tribal areas allowed vaccinators to reach areas previously off-limits because of militant attacks.
Pakistan is still struggling to eradicate polio virus completely from the country as in recent year, militants continued to target polio teams particularly in northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province and the Federally Administrated Tribal Areas (FATA).
However since a full-fledged military operation was launched last year in FATA against militants, there has been a decline in polio cases because now the polio teams feel secure and have an access to those areas for administrating polio drops to children where it was not easy before.
The sources said that about 20.6 million children have been administered anti-polio drops under the programme. They further said that the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is showing keen interest in the anti-polio drive in Pakistan and Afghanistan as a part of its global efforts to eradicate the disease.
In a meeting with the Chairman International Polio Plus Committee and Vice Chairman Rotary Foundation Michael K McGovern in Islamabad on July 1, President Mamnoon Hussain expressed the hope that Pakistan will be polio-free in next two years as due to government’s initiatives.
“Polio virus would be eradicated from Pakistan in the coming two years,” Mamnoon Hussain said.
The president also called upon the international community to help Pakistan and extend all possible cooperation in this regard.
