Islamabad/New Delhi, Feb 3 || Even after three decades of aggressive eradication campaigns, Pakistan’s polio woes continue amid public mistrust and logistical gaps, according to a media report.
Pakistan first launched the anti-polio campaign in 1994. Yet, over the last 31 years, the country recorded a staggering total of 14,206 confirmed polio cases, The Express Tribune’s T-Magazine reported.
It stated that the country has also created an invisible population of survivors due to a lack of a government-run system for the treatment, rehabilitation, or long-term social integration of children already disabled by polio.
“Till date, the country lacks public rehabilitation centres, vocational training programmes, or psychosocial support systems tailored to polio survivors, forcing families to seek costly private care that many cannot afford. Without structured support, disabled children and adults are left vulnerable to neglect and exploitation, while facing persistent barriers to education, employment, and social participation,” the report said.
Data from the National Emergency Operations Centre (NEOC) showed that Pakistan reported the highest number of polio cases -- 2,635 -- in 1994, following which there was a steady decline.