The military’s Operation Zarb-e-Azb against militants has not just been fighting terror in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), but also in battling the crippling children’s disease ‘Polio;.
“Pakistan has done remarkably well in tackling polio this year because the areas are now being cleared of militants and accessibility has become easier,” chairman of Rotary International’s PolioPlus programme, Aziz Memon said, according to the popular American daily LA Times.
Claiming that the quality of the inoculation drive has improved in the wake of the military operation, Memon said, “There are areas that are still not within reach, where fighting is going on. But we hope to get there sooner or later.”
Health authorities and relief officials credit improved security following the operation for the drastic decrease in the number of cases of the crippling disease over the months.
Six cases of the crippling disease were reported this year in Fata as compared to 56 in the same period last year.
According to LA Times, a quarter-million children could not be reached by vaccination teams in October. However, seven months down and the number dropped to 47,000 by May.
Health workers have often been targeted by militants opposing the vaccination drives and often they are not paid on time hampering vaccination drives.
“We need the top leadership to take the ownership,” Memon said. “The results are good, but the work is not yet done.”
A report by a board that tracks progress in the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, Independent Monitoring Board, stated “a positive difference” in the country’s anti-polio efforts.
Pakistan has done remarkably well this year because the areas are now being cleared of militants and accessibility has become easier.
As more than one million people fled their homes in North Waziristan and other tribal areas, for the first time the children could be vaccinated against the disease as the areas had been previously inaccessible for health workers.
As a result, 86% of the tribal areas are now covered by the vaccine, up from 47%, according to health officials.
However, Khyber Agency has emerged as a new trouble spot and has recorded five of the six polio cases in the tribal region this year. While, Bara and Jamrud, remain extremely difficult for health workers to access.
