Working Against Harsh Challenges, Life Threats For Clearing FATA From Menace Of Polio

Eradicating polio from tribal districts, erstwhile Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), was not only a challenging task but also full of life threatening risks for health teams which worked with missionary zeal to protect future generations from the crippling disease.

PESHAWAR, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 8th Aug, 2018 ) :Eradicating polio from tribal districts, erstwhile Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), was not only a challenging task but also full of life threatening risks for health teams which worked with missionary zeal to protect future generations from the crippling disease.

Once an epicenter of polio virus till 2014-15, Tribal districts of Pakistan have now successfully completed two years of becoming `polio free' on July 27, 2018.

The last case of polio infection in FATA was reported on July 27, 2016 and till now no new case emerged in the region.

"The achievement of turning the status of FATA from `epicenter of polio' to `polio free' is attained due to matchless sacrifices, strong commitment, passion and bravery of the security forces and health teams," remarked Dr. Nadeem Jan, Technical Focal Person, Emergency Operation Center (EOC) Tribal Districts.

This success claimed more than 100 lives of different cadres of health team workers and security forces who embraced martyrdom in the line of duty, he disclosed.

In an interview with APP, Dr. Nadeem Jan, who played a leading role in making FATA polio free threw light on the hard work, dedication and high spirit with which he and his team members worked and achieved the goal of purging the tribal terrain of the country from debilitating disease.

It was a difficult decision to accept assignment of containing polio in a high risk area (FATA), which was even considered by international health organizations as `persistent headache', Nadeem recalls.

"However, I was confident because of my work experience in different countries especially in Afghanistan, South Sudan and Somalia and because of my inner motivations which forced me to do something for the motherland.

Dr. Nadeem informed that before assuming charge as Technical Focal Person, EOC Tribal Districts, he worked in different countries with UN agencies, USAID, World Bank, Multi Donor Trust fund, INGOs and national governments.

During his service in Somalia with WHO from 2006-2009, Dr.

Nadeem was conferred with highest civil award, Presidential Award for Health Service, for saving millions of Somali children in one of the worst Cholera outbreak.

His ability to deliver high impact was also acknowledged by Pakistan government by awarding him with Tamgha-e-Imtiaz, Pakistan's fourth highest decoration on March 23, 2018.

The main issue in FATA was security threats as in one area of Bajaur Agency, the vaccinating team performed duty under the security cordon comprising of 28 personnel's of Pak Army and paramilitary force.

While recalling an incident of terrorism in FATA, Dr. Nadeem said in 2017 he survived a bomb blast in Mohmand Agency where he went for finalizing vaccination programme.

The blast occurred, as our vehicle passed near the office of Political Agent, the jerk was felt inside the vehicle and the bang shell shocked us.

The terrorism attack failed to dent our spirit and in a meeting on the same day health team members decided to keep the vaccinating programme intact without making any change in its timing, he recounts.

Our focus was on moral boosting of health team workers besides engaging security forces and political administration in covering whole of FATA for polio vaccination, Nadeem told APP.

While realizing sensitivity of FATA and keeping in mind delay in vaccination due to security issue, the inoculation planning was changed with the objective of covering all the children, he told APP.

Dr. Nadeem said he introduced IPV (Injectable Polio Vaccination) in FATA by increasing the mandatory age limits of children from 23 months to 59 months so that those who are missed in the last few years should also be covered. Now, the polio vaccination team is covering all the 825144 children of FATA who are being administered vaccine according to schedule time.

"It is very welcome development that the environmental sampling of FATA for polio virus is negative which reflects non-existence of the virus in the region," Nadeem added.

With reduction in occurrence of polio cases in FATA, ratio of disease infection in Pakistan also showed drastic reduction as in 2018 till now only three cases were reported in Duki district of Baluchistan.

In 2014, total numbers of polio cases in Pakistan were reported as 359 with 179 in FATA. Later in 2015, the polio cases reduced to 56 in Pakistan and 19 in FATA. In 2016, only two cases of polio were reported in FATA.

The virus is confined to only one district in Pakistan and hopefully soon our country will be free from this crippling disease in near future.

"Eradication of polio from FATA paved way for wiping out ofthe crippling disease and soon our country will be cleared from the blemish itfaced of being `polio endemic', Dr. Nadeem remarked.