- Advertisement -
PESHAWAR, Sep 01 (APP):Every evening, 30-year-old Abid Ali watches children play football in his village near Pabbi, Nowshera after he became a victim of polio disease in childhood.
Paralyzed in both legs, Abid cannot join their game. Instead, he sits silently in his wheelchair, occasionally trying to reach for the ball that rolls his way. But even that small joy is fleeting because a failed attempt often sends him tumbling, prompting his aging father, Jamshed Khan, to rush and lift him back into a wheelchair.
“He was just three years old when he suddenly developed a high fever, body pain, and sweating,” recalls Jamshed, his voice heavy with regret. “We rushed him to the government hospital in Pabbi, where doctors confirmed it was polio, disabling his younger son for life.”
Now, nearly three decades later, Jamshed still carries the guilt of not vaccinating his son. “We believed the rumors about polio drops back then. If only we hadn’t listened — Abid might have been healthy and playing with the other kids today.”
Abid’s story is heartbreakingly common in parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where myths and misinformation have long hindered polio eradication efforts.
According to the Emergency Operation Centre (EOC) of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan has reported 23 polio cases as of August 26 this year. In 2024, the number stood at 73, which was a sharp rise from just six in 2023 and 20 in 2022, sparking renewed alarm among health officials and vaccinators.
“Polio is a highly contagious virus that targets the nervous system, especially in children under five who are malnourished or unvaccinated,” explained Dr Adnan Khan, a pediatric specialist at Pabbi Hospital. “It spreads through contaminated food or water and can lead to irreversible paralysis or even death.”
Dr Adnan underscored the importance of routine immunization, noting that the oral polio vaccine (OPV) and inactivated polio vaccine (IPV) have saved millions of children from permanent disability. Globally, vaccination efforts were preventing 2 to 3 million deaths every year, he added.
“Despite massive campaigns, about 24 million children under the age of one remain unvaccinated annually, which is largely due to misinformation, logistical issues, and outright refusals,” he said.
Since 1998, when over 350,000 polio cases were reported globally, the World Health Assembly has launched a major initiative to eradicate the virus. Today, all but two countries, namely Pakistan and Afghanistan, have eliminated polio.
While types WPV-II and WPV-III have been completely eradicated worldwide, wild poliovirus type I (WPV-I) continues to circulate in unvaccinated communities in these two nations.
“One of our biggest hurdles remains vaccine refusal, driven by deep-seated myths, religious misconceptions, and lack of education,” Dr Adnan said.
In a renewed effort to eradicate polio, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Government launched a two-phase vaccination campaign on Monday. Speaking at the launch of vaccination, Ehtesham Ali, Advisor to the Chief Minister on Health, said the campaign aims to immunize 5.75 million children under the age of five across the province.
The first phase, running till September 4, covers 16 districts including Peshawar, Mardan, Swabi, Nowshera, and Charsadda. The second phase, from September 15 to 18, will target Bannu, Bajaur, and DI Khan divisions.
To ensure success, 27,000 vaccination teams have been mobilized, backed by over 40,000 security personnel, said the Health Advisor. In Swat, over 2,900 police officers are deployed to protect health workers and prevent disruption.
Checkpoints have been established across major roads, while Quick Response Force (QRF) teams and plainclothes security officers have been assigned to safeguard polio workers.
During the campaign’s launch in Swat, District Police Officer Muhammad Umar Khan personally visited Basic Health Units (BHUs), administered drops to children, and reviewed security arrangements.
“Parents must cooperate,” urged Health Advisor Dr Ehtesham Ali. “This campaign is not just about drops; rather, it’s about giving our children a future free from disability.”
Media and religious scholars’ role in the creation of awareness among communities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was key to eradicating the disease. In case of non-arrival of vaccinators, the parents and children should bring their kids to nearby hospitals and basic health units for vaccinations.
Despite remarkable scientific progress and global commitment, the war against polio cannot be won without public support. Health experts, security forces, and government officials are doing their part excellently, but the final victory hinges on one critical step i.e., parental consent and cooperation.
As polio victim Abid Ali watches from the sidelines of a playground, his story serves as both a warning and a reminder that a few drops today can protect a lifetime tomorrow. Together, we can easily win the fight against polio by administering only a few drops to children during vaccination campaigns.