• Home

World Health Organisation polio mandate leads to confusion

Many have resorted to the social media to ask the health body directly on how they can resolve the problem without it affecting their travel plans.

Confusion and panic has set in among Pakistani frequent travellers who, according to the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) travel recommendations, now require a certificate to prove that they have received a vaccination for polio recently.

With the summer holidays approaching, UAE-based Pakistanis are asking questions. Many have resorted to the social media to ask the health body directly on how they can resolve the problem without it affecting their travel plans.

On Monday, the WHO said the disease had emerged as public health emergency with the virus currently affecting 10 countries worldwide and endemic in three countries, including Pakistan.

The WHO called on Pakistan, Cameroon and Syria — seen as posing the greatest risk of exporting wild poliovirus — to ensure all residents and long-term visitors receive a polio vaccine between four weeks and a year before travelling abroad.

For urgent travel, at least one vaccine dose should be given before departure, according to the WHO’s emergency committee that met on Monday. “We want people to travel, just not to take the polio virus with them. The vaccine keeps that from happening,” said the WHO on Twitter.

Farida Mohammed, a Dubai-based housewife, who is planning to spend the summer vacations in her home-town in Lahore, said: “I have several questions with regard to the polio virus. My children were born in the UAE and I have followed the UAE’s vaccination schedule that includes the polio vaccine, so will my children still need a booster dose? “And will I be able to get it in Dubai?” Her husband, Mohammed Lateef, said he too was confused in this regard. “I received the vaccination as a child years ago ... Do I still need the vaccine?” However, no comments were available from the health authorities in the UAE on the issue.

The Pakistan Consulate in Dubai said it was awaiting advice from Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Pakistan’s health ministry will set up mandatory immunisation counters in all airports, border crossings and seaports for travellers.

The WHO said this year during low season of polio transmission (January-April), there had been 59 cases in Pakistan compared to nine in the same period last year.

asmaalizain@khaleejtimes.com