The International Health Regulatory (IHR) Emergency Committee will give its final recommendations to the World Health Organisation (WHO) in the next five days regarding the imposition of travel restrictions on Pakistan for its failure to curb the spread of the poliovirus.
Pakistan’s fate hangs in the balance, as it broke its own 10-year record after 58 new polio cases surfaced in the first four month of this year, making it tougher for the country to clear its position before the international community.
A senior official at the National Health Services Ministry, Regulation and Coordination (NHSRC), requesting anonymity, said Pakistan has not yet worked on a strategy to deal with the restrictions, if imposed. There would be a strict visa policy for people who will be travelling from Pakistan or coming in, he explained. It will become difficult for frequent business travellers to get vaccinated during every visit, said the official.
Moreover, the labour force that goes to Middle East every year will also face huge difficulties, he added.
Prime Minister’s focal Person on Polio Aysha Raza Farooq said that during the last two days Pakistan has made all-out efforts to make its position clear to the international community. “We have clearly told them that 90 % of Pakistan is polio-free, however, the issue is only in FATA and in Karachi due to the security situation.”
Since 2012, the country has lost 59 people working for the cause of polio eradication. Therefore, if travel restrictions are imposed, then all of their scarifies will go in vain, she explained.