Regarding people's attitude towards the vaccination, the report said that for many people the offer of polio vaccine to their children is unwelcomed
Peshawar is a transport hub for polio virus to the tribal
areas and Karachi, says the seventh report of the Independent Monitoring
Board (IMB) issued last month.
Due to the huge influx of people who have been displaced from parts
of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA)
and Afghanistan, the virus has spread to the whole country.
The report added that thousands of children in Waziristan were denied
vaccination. “If vaccination does not restart soon, there is sadly the
potential for a sizeable outbreak here. Many children may be paralyzed
or killed as a result,” the IMB report warned.
New polio cases have emerged after IMB convened its meeting early May.
Vaccination has been suspended in North and South Waziristan agencies
since June last year when Taliban leaders imposed a ‘ban’ on the entry
of polio teams until drone strikes were stopped. More than 0.2 million
children remain unvaccinated since then and two new polio cases from
North Waziristan Agency have been reported this year.
An official working for the polio eradication programme said they
will coordinate with the new government in the province to engage the
local community and reduce the number of refusal cases.
“The new government has announced local body elections which will
give us an advantage because people will help the union council
eradication committees,” said the official requesting anonymity. He
added that the new cases are not from high-risk areas “which shows the
vaccination drives have improved.”
Regarding the issue of North and South Waziristan agencies, he said
they have ensured that vaccination is provided to children at transit
points and also made available in all hospitals of the area.
The official added they will also seek help from clerics to help change the mindset of residents.
“Since the IMB meeting, Pakistan has elected a new government…at a
crucial time for polio eradication. It must be clear that a very
difficult task lies ahead. Success is very far from assured. The more
the virus will spread, the longer it will take.”
“The polio programme and their vaccines are subjects seen with
increasing negativity. The IMB is deeply concerned by the programme’s
weak grip on communication and social mobilisation,” the IMB report
read.
Regarding people’s attitude towards the vaccination, the report said
that for many people the offer of polio vaccine to their children is
unwelcomed. “They feel that it is imposed from outside and do not
understand the benefit it will bring. They fear it will harm their child
or influence them negatively.”
The World Health Organization, in its April report, also found
Peshawar as the main hindrance in the eradication of polio as it has
been known to spread from the sewerage water of various union councils
including Larama and Shaheen Muslim Town.
Source : The Express Tribune , 6th June 2013
No comments:
Post a Comment