At least six police officers tragically lost their lives on January 8th in the Belot-Farsh Mamund neighbourhood of Bajaur district, located in the province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in Pakistan. The officers were targeted by a roadside bomb while being transported in a police van to provide security for polio vaccination workers. This devastating incident occurred just 10 miles from Pakistan’s border with Afghanistan.
The Pakistani Taliban, specifically the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), claimed responsibility for the attack. The TTP is an umbrella group of militants commonly known as the Pakistani Taliban. This group has previously denounced the door-to-door vaccination campaign as a government conspiracy to spy on them. Unfortunately, Pakistan and Afghanistan remain the only countries where polio is still prevalent.
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According to the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, “Polio remains endemic in two countries, Afghanistan and Pakistan. Until poliovirus transmission is interrupted in these countries, all countries remain at risk of importation of polio, especially vulnerable countries with weak public health and immunisation services and travel or trade links to endemic countries.”
Pakistan’s struggle with polio is further highlighted by a recent survey conducted by the National Emergency Operations Centre (NEOC). The survey confirmed the presence of the polio virus in sewage samples collected from 12 cities across Pakistan. This includes cities such as Sukkur, Rawalpindi, Lahore, Mardan, Peshawar, Bannu, Kambar, and Hyderabad.
The task of vaccinating children against polio in Pakistan is carried out by dedicated teams of female health workers who go door to door. This allocation of tasks to women is due to the traditional culture of Pakistan, where unknown men are not invited inside households. These brave women venture out with the knowledge that their lives may be at risk. Many children in Pakistan have never been vaccinated against polio, making the risks higher even for those who have received the drops. Multiple immunizations are required until a child reaches the age of five.
Unfortunately, attacks on polio workers and their guards have become all too common in Pakistan, fueled by anti-vaccine sentiment. False religious beliefs and conspiracy theories circulate, with some believing that the vaccines contain pig fat. Additionally, hostility increased after the CIA staged a fake vaccination drive in Pakistan to track down Osama Bin Laden.
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The recent attacks on polio vaccinators and their guards serve as a grim reminder of the dangers faced by those working to eradicate polio in Pakistan. The situation is further compounded by a lack of awareness about the dangers of polio and prevalent misconceptions in certain regions. Pakistan’s weak state administration and health system, along with prejudices against the polio vaccine, contribute to the challenges faced in eliminating polio.
Efforts to eradicate polio in Pakistan have been hindered by various factors, including variable governance, unpredictable leadership, and accountability. The ongoing conflict between militant groups and the state of Pakistan has also impeded progress. It is evident that until Pakistan addresses religious extremism, the battle against polio will continue to be an uphill struggle.
The loss of these brave police officers not only creates chaos but also tarnishes Pakistan’s international image. The militants and their extremist allies succeed in destabilizing an already fragile society. It is crucial for Pakistan to prioritize the eradication of religious extremism in order to effectively combat poliomyelitis.
The author of this piece is a Research Fellow at the Institute for Conflict Management in New Delhi. The views expressed are personal and may not necessarily reflect those of Firstpost..
