ISLAMABAD: Aidan O’Leary, global director for polio eradication at the World Health Organization (WHO), has stressed the importance of “political will and commitment” to eliminate polio virus from Pakistan, the Pakistani health ministry said on Sunday, as the South Asian country strives to fully eradicate the crippling virus.
Polio is a highly infectious and incurable disease caused by the poliovirus, which mainly affects children under the age of five. The virus invades the nervous system and can cause paralysis or even death in some cases.
The statement by the senior WHO official for polio eradication came after his meeting with Caretaker Health Minister Dr. Nadeem Jan on Friday, which concluded a three-day visit of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative’s (GPEI) strategy committee to Pakistan.
Pakistan and Afghanistan are the only two countries in the world where polio remains an endemic. However, Pakistan has made significant progress toward the elimination of the virus, with Islamabad reporting only two cases of the wild polio virus this year, a drop from 20 cases documented in 2022.
“Political will and commitment to get the job done is absolutely critical to the success of the program,” O’Leary said after his meeting with the Pakistani health minister.
“We have been particularly impressed by the Health Minister’s very immediate and hands-on engagement with the Polio Programme. We certainly look forward to continued advocacy and support.”
The WHO official said the polio-eradication program had been very successful, with excellent outbreak responses to virus detection.
“This must continue for us to be able to deliver on what is a critical goal not just for Pakistan but for the entire world,” he added.
The visit by the GPEI strategy committee marked the first engagement between senior GPEI officials and the caretaker Pakistani government, which took over the reins of the country last month.
On the occasion, Health Minister Jan said it was important that Pakistan and its global partners and donors stood together in this final leg of the eradication journey.
“There is no time to waste. The Health Ministry will support any measure to interrupt wild poliovirus transmission by the global deadline at the end of 2023,” he promised.
“I will ensure that not only does polio remain a priority at all tiers of governance, but efforts are more targeted and intensified.”
O’Leary, the head of the GPEI strategy committee, was accompanied by Dr. Richard Franka, the Pakistan team lead for polio eradication at the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
“To meet the goal of eradicating polio, Pakistan’s polio program must enhance efforts to identify and vaccinate children who have not received polio vaccines, especially in areas experiencing conflict and insecurity,” Dr. Franka said.
The delegation also met officials from Islamabad, Peshawar and the southern Sindh province during the three-day visit.
