Pakistan, Afghanistan Health Ministers cross borders to unite against Polio
By Bushra Rafique

ISLAMABAD—Thousands of children will be immunized against polio in the border areas of Pakistan and Afghanistan, as part of a critical public health campaign in this challenging region.
The Minister of Health of Pakistan, Mr Mohammad Nasir Khan on Tuesday joined hands with the Minister of Health of Afghanistan, to immunize children against polio at the Torkham border and to officially kick-off these activities.
The special cross border polio campaign, which will be held from12-14 December is being held in line with decision taken in a meeting recently held between the two health ministers to review cross border transmission of the polio virus and devise strategies to stem the spread of polio virus in the border areas. Today’s event is significant in that it reinforces the fight against polio as “diseases know no borders”. Furthermore, the joint launch by the Pakistan and Afghan Health Minister is reflective of the collaboration and co-operation among the two countries in the health sector.
“This year we have seen a large number of cases linked to cross border movements between Afghanistan and Pakistan, said Mr Mohammad Nasir Khan, Federal Minister of Health, Pakistan. ‘This reinforces that until polio is stopped on both sides of our borders, we will continue to share the virus between our two countries. Polio anywhere is a threat to children everywhere.
Global evidence has shown that poliovirus does not respect international borders. Poliovirus continues to travel silently across the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, affecting children in communities on either side of the border. Polio eradication across the region will depend on stopping polio in both Pakistan and Afghanistan.
‘We must work together as one in these areas to develop joint plans, which are locally appropriate to reach every child with polio vaccine,’ he said.
Despite the challenges, there has been great progress towards stopping polio in both Pakistan and Afghanistan. The number of polio cases in Pakistan has been reduced from 1000s when the initiative first started in the 1990s, down to 36 to date in 2006.
‘However there are many challenges which still stand in our way of stopping polio in both countries, particularly along these border areas. Large scale population movements and security issues stand in the way of reaching every child with polio vaccine. Working together we can overcome our challenges here in the region. Today’s cross border launch is proof of our determination to stop polio transmission in both Pakistan and Afghanistan and to achieve a great development victory for the world.”
The success of polio eradication depends on delivering the polio vaccine to each and every child, including the most vulnerable and the hardest-to-reach. Beginning today, hundreds of volunteers and health workers will go door-to-door, house-to-house, village-to-village, on foot, in bordering areas of Pakistan and Afghanistan. Their aim is very clear: to find every single child under the age of five years and vaccinate them against polio. This massive logistical undertaking can succeed, but only with the tireless efforts and commitment of the people of both Pakistan and Afghanistan.