Afghanistan outperforms Pakistan in polio battle: A setback for Pakistan

Afghanistan’s success in the fight against polio is emerging as a stark contrast to Pakistan’s ongoing struggles, making headlines as global focus remains on both nations, the last two countries still grappling with polio. According to Dawn, Afghanistan reported only 25 cases of polio in 2024, while Pakistan, in comparison, saw 68 cases. The situation in Pakistan remains critical, with several polio samples from the previous year still awaiting results.

A report by the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI), obtained by Dawn, sheds light on this worrying disparity. Pakistan has faced a significant surge in polio cases, with the virus affecting 83 districts in the country. In contrast, Afghanistan has managed to confine the spread of the virus to just 11 provinces. The disparity extends to environmental surveillance as well, with Pakistan testing 591 positive sewage samples across 106 sites, compared to Afghanistan’s 100 positive samples from 24 sites.

Experts from Pakistan’s Polio Programme speculate that Afghanistan’s lower case count may be due to underreporting, suggesting that Afghanistan does not collect samples from all paralysed children. However, this theory does not absolve Pakistan, where polio continues to spread despite a more rigorous reporting system. Pakistani officials have asserted that their reporting system includes sending samples from every paralysed child in each union council, which amounts to thousands of samples annually.

Despite the ongoing polio campaign in Pakistan since 1994, the country has faced numerous setbacks, including security concerns following the war on terror, political instability, and inaccessibility in regions such as Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Karachi, and Peshawar. These challenges have left many vulnerable children unvaccinated, allowing the virus to persist.

With Afghanistan showing progress, questions are being raised about Pakistan’s approach to the polio eradication effort. As reported by Dawn, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has appointed a new team, including Ayesha Raza Farooq and Anwarul Haq, to steer the campaign. However, it remains to be seen whether these efforts can address the deep-rooted issues that continue to hinder Pakistan’s progress in eradicating polio.