…Says only Pakistan, Afghanistan recorded wild polio cases in 2018
Marcus Fatunmole (Abuja)
World’s polio cases have declined by 99 percent since 1988, the World Health Organization (WHO) has said.
In a new statistics made available by the organization in January 2019, only 29 cases of the condition was reported in 2018 as against estimated 350,000 in 1988.
Polio, otherwise known as poliomyelitis, a highly infectious disease, mainly affects children under-five years.
WHO said one in 200 infections leads to irreversible paralysis, and that among those paralysed, five percent to 10 percent die when their breathing muscles become immobilized.
The organization noted that as long as a child remains infected with the disease, children in all countries are at risk. It furthered that failure to eradicate the disease from its last strongholds namely Afghanistan and Pakistan could result in as many as 200 000 new cases every year, within 10 years, worldwide.
Nigeria is among three countries labelled with global polio scourge. Though Nigeria no longer records wild polio cases, it hopes to maintain its status and attain WHO’s polio-free-certification by the end of 2019.
“In most countries, the global effort has expanded capacities to tackle other infectious diseases by building effective surveillance and immunization systems,” the organization said.
It added that “Once polio is eradicated, the world can celebrate the delivery of a major global public good that will benefit all people equally, no matter where they live. Economic modelling has found that the eradication of polio would save at least US$ 40–50 billion, mostly in low-income countries. Most importantly, success will mean that no child will ever again suffer the terrible effects of lifelong polio-paralysis.”
Meanwhile, WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has revealed his wish for 2019 is that the world defeat polio.
He made the revelation when he visited Afghanistan and Pakistan, the only two countries that recorded wild polio virus in 2018.
The UN Chief, who visited both countries on 5th – 6th January and 7th -8th January 2019 respectively, highlighted his organization’s commitment to the final push to eradicate the disease.
In a release made available to this newspaper from Geneva, headquarters of the organization, Dr Tedros, alongs,ide WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean Dr Ahmed Al-Mandhari, met with heads of state and senior government officials in both countries and witnessed first-hand WHO-supported health programmes.
He also visited the Emergency Operations Centre for Polio Eradication in Islamabad, Pakistan, where he commended the work of government and partners as ‘one team under one roof’ and highlighted the critical importance of working closely with Afghanistan to prevent cross-border transmission.
“We must all give our best on this last mile to eradicate polio once and for all. My wish for 2019 is for zero polio transmission. You have WHO’s full support to help reach every child and stop this virus for good,” he was quoted as saying in the release.
“On his visit to Afghanistan on 5-6 January, Dr Tedros met with HE President Dr Ashraf Ghani, HE Chief Executive Dr Abdullah Abdullah, the Council of Ministers, representatives of key partners and nongovernmental organizations active in health.
“Together with HE Minister of Public Health Dr Ferozuddin Feroz, he launched the newly developed Integrated Package of Essential Health Services. This package includes the most cost-effective evidence-based interventions that reflect the most common causes of mortality and morbidity in the country. It keeps the focus on primary health care but also adds noncommunicable diseases and trauma care. Dr Tedros confirmed WHO’s support to the government to develop financing options to help ensure access to health services for all Afghans.
“Dr Tedros also visited the WHO-supported Trauma Care Hospital run by the Italian NGO Emergency in Kabul, where Dr Tedros thanked humanitarian workers for their important work. He praised the close collaboration between WHO, Ministry of Health and International NGOs like Emergency, so that provision of essential trauma care can be accessed by people who need it most.
“In Pakistan on 7-8 January, Dr Tedros met with Prime Minister Imran Khan and several senior officials including Federal Minister for National Health Regulations & Coordination Mr Aamer, Mehmood Kiani, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Federal Minister for Human Rights Dr Shireen Mazari.
“Dr Tedros accompanied the President of Pakistan, Arif Alvi, to the launch of the first Pakistan Nursing and Midwifery Summit and the Nursing Now campaign. Pakistan faces a critical shortage of health workers including nurses and midwives. The country needs more than 720 000 nurses to achieve universal health coverage by 2030.
“He also visited a basic health centre in Shah Allah Ditta where WHO signed an agreement with the Government of Pakistan to develop a model health care system for universal health coverage in Islamabad. Dr Tedros commended the Government for its initiatives to tax tobacco and sugary drinks, as well as its plans to increase the health budget to 5% of GDP by 2023 (from the current 0.9% of GDP),” the release stated.
