WHO concerned about polio outbreaks in parts of Pakistan

From The Daily Times in Pakistan:

PESHAWAR, Pakistan -- World Health Organisation (WHO) has expressed deep concern on rise in polio cases in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and FATA.

Official sources in the health department said that out of 28 new reported polio cases in the country in 2010, 20 polio cases were reported in the KP and FATA. They said seven cases were reported in KP and 13 in FATA.

Ashna Gul Afridi, a 30-year old polio victim, expressed concern on the rise in polio cases in KP province and FATA.

Afridi, a poor young man, did not lose heart when polio paralysed him in the childhood and passed through odd times and continued his effort to live an honourable life in the society.

“It is very difficult for a polio victim to spend a normal life in the society. The parents should realize difficulties being faced to polio victim and administer polio drops every time to their children,” polio paralysed Ashna Gul, who was imparting tailoring training in the government-run-skilled centre told Daily Times on Sunday.

Afridi was infected with polio in the childhood due to non-availability of polio drops during his childhood at his area Bar Qambar Khel, Bara area in Khyber Agency.

Sources said that two cases of polio were recorded in Bara tehsil of Khyber Agency this year despite the fact that there was no problem of accessibility as the vaccinators and other staff were locals.

On the other hand, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has also expressed concern over the increasing number of polio cases in KP and FATA and asked the government to introduce accountability of the staff with a view to eradicate the disease.

The concern was expressed recently by a high-level WHO mission that called on provincial health secretary, additional chief secretary and director of health services FATA, sources in the health department said.

They said Dr Tahir Mir, regional advisor on polio eradication from Cairo, and Chris Mehir, member of the global team on polio eradication, visited the city to convey their concern to the government over ineffective polio control programme. akhtar amin