A polio eradication project in Pakistan

Polio vaccination for children in Pakistan – is a matter of life or death.

In the poorest areas of Pakistan children catch the polio virus from contaminated food and water

The devastating earthquake in South Asia in October has left thousands of children vulnerable to disease and malnutrition. Yet, even before the disaster, children across the region were at risk from debilitating illness.

Polio, now virtually unknown in the United Kingdom, is still the scourge of countries like Pakistan. In the poorest areas especially, children catch the virus from contaminated food and water. The consequences are swift and terrifying – in some cases children are paralysed or may even die overnight.

Immunising children is vital for communities to eradicate these types of diseases, but poor families in remote areas may have to travel miles to the nearest health clinic, often on foot. Time they cannot afford to spend away from their fields or small businesses. As a result, a quarter of all newborn babies receive no immunisation before their first birthday.

Furthermore, families often do not understand the importance of vaccinations and do not take up immunisations when they are offered, and may not keep a record of any vaccinations their children have taken.

Finding a solution

In Pakistan’s capital, Islamabad and the surrounding districts Plan and its partners will run six campaigns before the end of June 2006. During each event, 300 volunteers will visit the poorest districts of Islamabad and remote villages to give families information about polio and its effects, and to administer vaccinations.

Pakistan will declare three days National Immunisation Days every two months, bringing together health professionals, agencies like Plan and the World Health Organisation, and community volunteers in a concerted campaign to immunise young children against the disease.

Plan will work closely with children and their communities to spread the word about the Immunisation Days to as many people as possible and use local knowledge and experience to ensure that vaccinations are delivered to the areas where they are needed most.

Aims and activities of this project

With your help, Plan can help put a stop to polio and give its poorest children the chance of a healthier future. Plan aims to:

• Set up temporary medical centres so that no family has to travel far to have their children immunised,
• Provide transport for health professionals to villages so that they can reach children in need of the vaccinations wherever they are,
• Supply those providing materials like banners and leaflets to give communities information about the vaccinations and Immunisation Days ,
• Create media briefings so that journalists can publicise the campaign.

As many families struggle to rebuild their lives in the wake of the earthquake, stamping out a disease that could wreck their progress becomes even more critical.