Pakistan is experiencing an unprecedented rise in polio cases, rising from 8 recorded infections in June to 33 by mid-October 2024. Outstanding systemic failures by healthcare infrastructure thus refer to systems displaying unprecedented alarm.
These include the spreading of misinformation on vaccinations and the refusal of parents to vaccinate their children along with attacks on polio workers, mainly in high-risk provinces like Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. In Balochistan, where coverage of immunization is as low as 37%, children are exposed not only to the risk of polio but also to a wide range of preventable diseases because the health centers are under-resourced and the healthcare infrastructure is poorthy.
These efforts to eradicate polio face further technical challenges in the logistics of reaching remote areas and manipulations, the reports of data within the polio eradication program. Despite the claims of high coverage by the government, environmental samples in areas like Karachi and Quetta still indicate the presence of the poliovirus with a transmission risk still in place. Unless urgent steps are taken to address these matters, health experts warn that the country might witness 55 to 65 cases of polio by the end of this year.
A more holistic approach toward health will be essential for Pakistan to get out of the crisis. Efforts at polio eradication should be integrated into broader public health initiatives that concentrate on improving elementary healthcare services, sanitation facilities, and health for mothers, particularly in rural areas. The government is also undertaking measures internally to regain public confidence, including relieving data-tampering personnel while strengthening AFP surveillance.