ISLAMABAD, July 26: National Assembly Standing Committee on Health reviewed the polio eradication programme in its meeting presided over by MNA Dr Hajira Aziz here on Monday.

According to a press release, the committee was informed that the polio eradication programme was launched in the country in 1994.

Prior to the launch of this programme, thousands of polio cases were registered each year, however, the number of such cases was reduced to 103 in 2003. Meanwhile, in the year 2004, only 19 cases had been identified.

The press release said the cases continued to occur primarily in NWFP and northern Sindh, whereas Balochistan had no case of polio since 2003. In Punjab, the last case was registered in February 2004.

The meeting was told that only six countries were left in the world which had polio cases. Pakistan ranks third, while the first two countries are Nigeria and India. The committee was also apprised of the obstacles in the success of the polio eradication programme.

Limited access to children in socially conservative communities is one of the biggest obstacles to the programme. This is particularly prominent in NWFP and Fata. Other obstacles included low participation of women as vaccinators.

Social barriers make it difficult for male vaccinators to approach young children in their homes with the result that they are disproportionately missed in the vaccination campaigns.

However, despite all these obstacles, the health department is technically in a position to eradicate polio by 2005. The meeting was attended by Dr Doniya Aziz, Dr Nurjehan Pannezai, Nawab Mirza, Maimoona Hashmi and Beelum Hussain.