BACK in May, 2014, when the World Health Organisation had implemented travel restrictions on Pakistan recommended by the Independent Monitoring Board (IMB), at that time 79pc polio cases were reported from Pakistan. Now more than 219 cases have been reported worldwide, of which 184 are from Pakistan. It is 84pc of the total cases reported.

Four months back, the situation was alarming and now it is lethal. It is an emergency situation for Pakistan.

Strains of the virus originating from Pakistan were found in China, Syria, Egypt, ‘Israel and Palestine’. Hence, the WHO declared public health emergency straightaway by putting travel restrictions on Pakistanis for six months to stop the import/export of polio virus for at least six months.

The logic behind travel restrictions was to contain and eradicate polio from Pakistan.

Our government has failed to implement the recommendations of the IMB and more restrictions on Pakistan are expected soon.

Pakistan, Nigeria and Afghanistan are polio-endemic countries. Both Nigeria and Afghanistan have done much better than Pakistan.

R.K. Saif
Islamabad

Published in Dawn, October 6th, 2014