KARACHI: Expressing deep concern over the recent surge in polio cases in the country, particularly in Sindh, the Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) has declared that the government policy of fighting the disease by relying on bureaucracy and foreign funding has not been giving desired results.
The PMA concern comes in the backdrop of confirmation of two new cases—a girl in Sanghar and a boy in Mirpurkhas—raising the national tally to 39, with Sindh accounting for 12 of these cases.
The PMA pointed to the alarming spread of the poliovirus across nine districts in Sindh, where 12 laboratory-confirmed cases and multiple positive environmental samples have been recorded. This concerning trend underscores a significant failure in the province's polio eradication efforts. The association has called on the government to take immediate and decisive action to address the worsening situation, stating that the current strategy—heavily reliant on bureaucratic procedures and foreign funding—has clearly failed to contain the virus.
The PMA also questioned the government's commitment to the eradication campaign, asking whether the effort is genuinely a priority or merely being used for political leverage.
In response to the worsening crisis, the PMA has demanded a comprehensive and transparent investigation into the resurgence of polio. This probe should include a thorough evaluation of the existing eradication programme, the government's role, and the effectiveness of current strategies, it demanded.
The PMA has issued a series of urgent recommendations for the government to address the polio crisis. It calls for the immediate implementation of a comprehensive polio eradication strategy, alongside intensified public awareness campaigns to educate the population on the significance of vaccination.
The association also stresses the need to strengthen surveillance systems to ensure the swift detection and response to new cases.
Furthermore, the association stresses the importance of providing sufficient resources and support to the polio eradication programme and insists on holding accountable those responsible for the failure to control the virus's spread.
The PMA reiterated its resolve to support the government in its efforts to eradicate polio from Pakistan but stressed that swift and decisive action is essential to prevent the crisis from worsening.