Polio resurgence in Pakistan and Afghanistan sparks health concerns
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After years of progress in the fight against polio, the disease has made a troubling comeback in Pakistan and Afghanistan.
In 2023, Pakistan reported just six cases of the wild poliovirus, suggesting that eradication was within reach. However, by 2024, this number had surged to 73, raising alarm among global health experts and highlighting the challenges of maintaining vaccination efforts in conflict-affected regions.
Poliomyelitis, which once caused paralysis and death for up to half a million people annually, has been nearly eradicated since the introduction of the polio vaccine in 1955. By 2000, mass immunisation campaigns had confined the virus to a few remaining hotspots.
However, recent setbacks in vaccination efforts have reversed some of this progress. Zulfiqar Bhutta, an expert in child immunisation in conflict zones, revealed that all current genetic strains of the wild poliovirus in Pakistan originate from Afghanistan. “It has spread to all districts of Pakistan. We've snatched defeat from the jaws of victory,” Bhutta remarked, underscoring the urgent need for a renewed focus on immunisation.
The resurgence of polio in Pakistan is linked to ongoing instability in Afghanistan, where conflict, poor sanitation, and insufficient healthcare infrastructure have hampered vaccination efforts. The Taliban’s restrictions on female health workers further complicate outreach in rural areas.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has also reported a rise in other infectious diseases in Afghanistan, including pneumonia, dengue fever, and measles, over the past six months. The lack of reliable data on polio cases in the region has made coordinated health interventions even more difficult.
Bhutta stressed the importance of collaboration with the Taliban to improve healthcare access, noting that during periods of peace, the group has supported vaccination efforts for diseases like smallpox. “The Taliban are not the enemy. They share the same health concerns as everyone else,” he explained, emphasising the potential for partnerships in combating polio.
Despite investing nearly $10 billion in polio eradication since 2011, Pakistan continues to face challenges in achieving widespread vaccination coverage. While provinces like Punjab have vaccinated 85% of children, areas such as Balochistan lag far behind, with only 30% coverage. Bhutta warned that without immunisation rates of 85-90% nationwide, eradicating the virus will remain an unattainable goal.
He also called for a comprehensive review of immunisation strategies, advocating for stronger routine vaccination programs targeting all infectious diseases, not just polio.
Health experts are urging international and local authorities to strengthen immunisation efforts, collaborate with regional governments, and address broader health challenges.