ISLAMABAD: In a shift in policy, the health ministry with the help of the interior ministry has decided to inoculate all Afghan nationals before they are deported to their home country to ensure the polio virus does not travel back to Pakistan.

In this regard, the health authorities sought the help of the interior ministry because its initiative to immunise Afghan children before deportation had not borne fruit, as it could only vaccinate over 24,000 Afghan kids against the disease.

According to a statement, the decision was made in an inter-ministerial meeting held under the joint chairmanship of the Ministry of National Health Services (NHS) and the Ministry of Interior secretaries to review the vaccination status of the Afghan population being expelled.

During the meeting, the participants agreed on a mechanism to ensure vaccination of “all age population” at ‘repatriation centres’ and international regular border posts. The meeting came against the backdrop of directives issued by the prime minister to ensure vaccination of all eligible population — usually kids under 5 — to minimise the risk of polio spread. The meeting was also attended by the health director general, the Immigration and Passport director general, and other relevant officials.

The Polio Programme officials apprised the meeting on the vaccination data at the ‘voluntary repatriation centres’, (six in Balochistan, two in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and three in Islamabad). They said 39 vaccination teams and 14 supervisors had been deployed for the purpose and added that these teams vaccinated 24,335 children since the start of the repatriation process. “In addition to the repatriation centres, permanent transit points (PTPs) at international borders also vaccinate travellers up to all age groups.”

The forum was told that instructions have been issued by the Ministry of Interior to relevant authorities in all provinces and Gilgit Baltistan to ensure compliance with the directive of the caretaker PM to facilitate and ensure polio vaccination at border crossing points.

Both ministries agreed that the Polio Programme should synchronise its permanent polio transit points with all international border crossings to ensure no child was left behind. The Nadra was also assigned to ensure the registration of all age Afghan population at repatriation centres and digitise the information to support the vaccination drive.

The officials of the Border Health Services were tasked to support the polio teams deployed at airports and land ports to ensure vaccinations of eligible populations.

The meeting also highlighted the important aspect in addition to international borders i.e. the inter-provincial movement that is also a risk factor in poliovirus circulation and demanded strengthening of the polio teams deputed at the inter-provincial permanent transit points.

The meeting advised the WHO to share a list of countries where certification to vaccination is required so that the country could ensure compliance with the international guidelines for international health regulations.

Published in Dawn, December 14th, 2023