Pak witnesses noticeable decline in polio cases: UNICEF

Pakistan, one of only three countries where polio is still endemic, has witnessed a noticeable decrease in cases in the crippling disease due to concerted efforts by frontline workers and the government, UNICEF said today.
Representative in Pakistan Angela Kearney paid glorious tributes to polio workers during her visit to Emergency Operation Centre Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa here for their sacrifices in the line of duty that aimed at achieving the global cause of polio eradication.
She called upon the public to play due role in stamping out the crippling disease from the region.
The country has seen a major fall in polio cases this year, according to reports that cited the World Health Organisation stating a decline of over 70 per cent from last year.

Polio teams have often been attacked in the country by militants who see vaccination campaigns as cover for espionage besides a perception about polio drops causing infertility.
Kearney also appreciated establishment of EOCs that are playing a key role in streamlining all the efforts for polio eradication in the country.

She said that Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and FATA had attracted international attention due to polio and appreciated that despite faced with a number of challenges downward trend has been observed in polio cases in Pakistan.
Kearney also touched upon successful initiatives undertaken by UNICEF with the support of government with a view to provide free of cost healthcare facilities to the underserved people at their doorsteps.

The health camps was a successful intervention launched in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa during which more than 10,000 children were vaccinated for the first time and in view of its success and demand by the public, it would continue in the upcoming low transmission season in the province, she added.
She assured all out support on behalf of UNICEF till the last missed child was reached besides ensuring support in routine immunisation, measles and other vaccine preventable diseases.
Pakistan is one of only three countries along with Afghanistan and Nigeria where the polio virus is still endemic.