ISLAMABAD: A government delegation from Pakistan met with the Independent Monitoring Board (IMB) in Geneva and reaffirmed the country’s resolve to counter the resurgence of polio while highlighting the ongoing progress and planned strategies to tackle the remaining barriers to eradicate the global and regional threat.

The meeting in Geneva from July 14-17 to review global polio eradication progress, including progress and challenges in the last two remaining polio-endemic countries — Pakistan and Afghanistan.

It is worth mentioning that IMB operates on behalf of the international donor agencies and publishes reports regarding performance of the countries after every six months. In November 2012, it recommended that travel restrictions should be imposed on Pakistan, which were implemented on May 5,2014. Since then, it has been mandatory for anyone travelling abroad from Pakistan to be vaccinated against polio and to carry a valid polio vaccination card.

According to an official statement, while addressing the IMB, State Minister Dr Malik Mukhtar Ahmad Bharath emphasised that Pakistan, being one of the only two remaining polio-endemic countries, fully recognises its critical responsibility in eliminating this global and regional threat.

“Despite complex challenges and competing national priorities over the past year, the government of Pakistan, under the leadership of the Prime Minister, has continued to prioritise polio eradication as a unified national mission,” he said

The minister highlighted that a “whole-of-government” approach has been revitalised across all levels to support the provinces, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, and Gilgit-Baltistan.

“Over the past year, I have closely witnessed our teams maintaining a collective sense of urgency and utmost dedication to bringing the polio resurgence under control through strong supervision, accountability and engagement with communities and our valiant frontline workers,” said Dr Bharat. “This approach has yielded significant progress, and I am confident that, with this dedication, we will overcome the remaining challenges and achieve a polio-free Pakistan.”

Prime Minister’s Focal Person for Polio Eradication Ayesha Raza Farooq highlighted Pakistan’s progress through the implementation of the National Emergency Action Plan 2024-25.

She noted that enhanced coordination with the provinces, full government oversight of all polio activities, targeted district improvement plans and vigilant surveillance have systematically improved the quality of polio campaigns, reduced the number of missed children and helped confine the virus to limited areas.

“No cases this year from Karachi, Quetta and Peshawar blocks is a positive sign that our multiple high-quality campaigns have helped children gain sufficient immunity against polio paralysis. Yet, continued detections of the virus in sewage samples are a reminder that we need to vigilantly ensure that every last child is vaccinated and protected,” Raza Farooq said.

The PM’s focal person pointed out that in southern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the complex local dynamics, vaccine hesitancy and population movement hampered consistent access to children. “In this province, the polio programme is working in collaboration with law-enforcement agencies, district administrations, local communities and the Expanded Programme on Immunisation to improve outreach and build community trust.”

Published in Dawn, July 17th, 2025