END POLIO NOW

HISTORY

WORLDPOLIO DAY

CAUSES

World Polio Day is observed on 24th October globally, to generate awareness towards eradication of polio. Polio is a highly infectious disease which is not as life threatening as it is crippling. It is a disease caused by the deadly ‘Poliovirus’, usually a�ecting children under 5 years. The virus mainly a�ects the nervous system, leaving the person with weak crippled legs and unable to walk normally throughout his/her life.With the e�orts of the World Health Organization (WHO) and Global Polio Eradication Initiative 1988, globally recorded numbers of polio infected cases have reduced considerably from 350,000 in 1988 to just 22 in 2017. The polio vaccine today is accessible to the masses even in most of the remotest locations of the world. The WHO hopes to achieve the complete eradication of polio by 2018.In Pakistan, though the polio immunization campaign started in 1974, the e�orts for eradication o�cially started in 1994.The number of children paralyzed by the wild poliovirus has dropped progressively from 306 in 2014 to 3 cases in 2018 so far. Eradication e�orts have begun to close the immunity gaps and the program is on track to reaching its goal of interrupting the transmission of polio in Pakistan. To accomplish the eradication of the poliovirus, Pakistan Polio Eradication Program refocused its goal from “coverage” to “no missed children”. This paradigm shift has driven program operations with very encouraging results. The proportion of children recorded as “missed” during campaigns and remaining unvaccinated after each campaign has declined to approximately 4% in the 2016 low transmission season.The program now has access to almost all children in Pakistan, thanks to a number of innovative approaches including community based vaccination, high risk mobile population strategy to catch children on the move and the support of the Pakistan Army, which enabled access to almost half a million children who were previously unreached by vaccination teams in North Waziristan.

Humans have observed the e�ects of polio for hundreds of years, if not thousands. The relatively recent history of outbreaks in both the United States and Europe has led to an allocation of resources with which to �ght the disease. Throughout history, polio epidemics have led to the deaths of many thousands of people around the world. In 1916, for example, over 6,000 people died of polio. However, it wasn't until 1953 that Jonas Salk developed the �rst polio vaccine, which has led to the widespread prevention of poliomyelitis.

Polio is a viral infection that can cause paralysis and death in its most severe forms It can spread easily from person to person Polio is caused by the poliovirus The polio virus usually enters the environment in the feces of someone who is infected In areas with poor sanitation, the virus easily spreads from feces into the water supply, or, by touch, into food Direct contact with a person infected with the virus can cause polio

There are two vaccines available to �ght polio:

Inactivated poliovirus (IPV) Oral polio vaccine (OPV)

IPV consists of a series of injections that start 2 months after birth and continue until the child is 4 to 6 years old. This version of the vaccine is provided to most children in the United States. It is very safe and e�ective and cannot cause polio.OPV is created from a weakened form of poliovirus. This version is the vaccine of choice in many countries because it is low cost, easy to administer, and gives an excellent level of immunity. However, in very rare cases, OPV has been known to revert to a dangerous form of poliovirus, which is able to cause paralysis.

SYMPTOMS

VACCINE

CONSEQUENCESFever, Sore ThroatHeadache, VomitingFatigue, Back and Neck PainArm and Leg Sti�nessMuscle Tenderness and SpasmsParalytic Polio PymptomsMeningitis (an infection of themembranes surrounding the brain)

A loss of muscle re�exesMuscle and joint painWeakness that slowly progressesMuscle atrophy or shrinkageExhaustion for no reasonSwallowing and breathing di�cultiesSu�ering in colder temperaturesSleep-related problems, such as apneaConcentration and memory di�cultiesMood swings and depression

RISK FACTORS

PREVENTION Vaccines are the main way to prevent polio Avoiding food or beverages that may have been contaminated by a person with poliovirus Checking with a medical professional that your vaccinations are current Being sure to receive any required booster doses of the vaccine Washing your hands frequently Touch your eyes, nose, or mouth with clean hands Covering the mouth while sneezing or coughing Be sure to receive a vaccination before traveling to an area that is prone to polio breakouts

Not having been immunized against polio Traveling to places where polio is endemic or widespreadLiving with someone infected with polioHaving a weak immune system

Because there is no cure for polio once a person develops the virus, treatments are focused on increasing comfort, managing symptoms, and preventing complications. This can include bed rest, antibiotics for additional infections, painkillers, ventilators to help breathing, physiotherapy, moderate exercise, and a proper diet. Polio vaccinations, or boosters, are highly recommended for anyone who is not vaccinated or is unsure whether they are.

Despite the multitude of challenges facing Pakistan’s polio eradication campaign, the annual number of polio cases has declined by more than 90 % since 1994. The strategy of combining routine immunization and Supplementary Immunization Activities (SIAs) led to a signi�cant reduction of cases between 1998 and 2005. However, poliomyelitis cases began to increase from 2006 as the Taliban insurgency intensi�ed in KP and FATA, leading to the displacement of millions of people and inward migration to major urban centres such as Karachi.

TREATMENT

CONFLICTS ON POLIO ERADICATION CAMPAIGN

A concerted propaganda campaign by militants operating from the Pakistan-Afghanistan border region, and supported by some religious clerics, has spun a narrative linking vaccination programs to a Western plot to sterilize Muslims and painted vaccinators as spies, especially in rural FATA and KP, which have the highest numbers of reported cases.

NEGATIVE PROPAGANDA AGAINST VACCINATION

© Punjab Healthcare Commission