Travelers to Punjab to show polio vaccination certificates

[Shabaz Sharif]

LAHORE: People traveling to Punjab from other provinces of Pakistan will now have to present polio vaccination certificates.

Health Adviser to Punjab Chief Minister Khwaja Salman Rafique told DawnNews on Tuesday that, after polio cases recently surfaced in Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, there was a risk of the crippling virus traveling into Punjab.

Rafique said that polio vaccination counters would be set up at all airports in Punjab within the next two days. He said that those who refuse to be administered polio drops will not be allowed to enter the province without showing polio vaccination certificates.

Polio vaccination teams aided by the police will be posted at 41 entry points from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to Punjab and all entrances from Sindh at the border in Rahim Yar Khan.

Related: WHO puts shackles on Pakistan over polio

All children entering the province will be administered polio drops if they do not show vaccination certificates.

The Punjab government's decision comes a day after the World Health Organisation imposed strict travel restrictions on Pakistan, Syria and Cameroon, warning that the crippling disease has re-emerged as a public health emergency.

The virus currently affects 10 countries worldwide and is endemic in three countries including Pakistan.

Earlier today, the federal health ministry announced that it was setting up mandatory polio immunisation points at all international airports in the country in response to the WHO’s recommendations.

“Special measures will include establishing mandatory immunisation counters on all airports, border crossings and seaports for all travellers,” said ministry spokesman Sajid Ali Shah.

According to the WHO, Pakistan recorded 91 cases of polio last year, up from 58 in 2012. It has also recorded 59 of the world's 74 cases this year.

The disease has re-emerged in Pakistan because the Taliban and other militants violently oppose inoculation campaigns and because of public fears that the vaccine leads to infertility.

Militants see the polio campaign as a cover for foreign spying and regularly attack immunisation teams, killing some 56 people since December 2012.

Their opposition had increased since a Pakistani doctor Dr Shakil Afridi helped track down terror chief Osama bin Laden in 2011 using a fake vaccine project.

Last month officials announced they would begin administering polio drops to children at security checkpoints in the country's lawless tribal belt.

Travelers to Punjab to show polio vaccination certificates - Pakistan - DAWN.COM

 

[Fahad Khan 2]

Punjab Lagta hai Europe ma shift ho gaya hai..... LOL..... Kuch Din bhad Punjab ana k liye VISA lagwana para ga.........

 

[Shabaz Sharif]

Punjab Lagta hai Europe ma shift ho gaya hai..... LOL..... Kuch Din bhad Punjab ana k liye VISA lagwana para ga.........

No doubt, visa restriction is the need of the hour.

 

[Fahad Khan 2]

No doubt, visa restriction is the need of the hour.

Then what about Karachi...........


LAHORE - Polio virus was detected in Lahore on Wednesday

http://www.nation.com.pk/lahore/01-M...virus-on-prowl

 

[Shabaz Sharif]

Then what about Karachi...........

Visa for Karachi? Goverment should instead be greateful how so many people can live in violent city like Karachi.

Then what about Karachi...........


LAHORE - Polio virus was detected in Lahore on Wednesday

http://www.nation.com.pk/lahore/01-M...virus-on-prowl

So far Punjab is polio free, not a single case of polio virus this year.

 

[Hyde]

This is insane movement by the Government. First of all it is impossible to track the local citizens travelling from one province to another and even if that was possible, you can't require a piece of document from the citizen travelling from one place to another as per the constitution. I believe Polio certificate may also trigger the violation of the same chapter.

I think either this is fake, a joke or will be criticised and abolished soon

and I believe WHO should have only put restrictions to the citizens of FATA. Banning the whole of Pakistan doesn't make any sense when most of the reported cases comes from FATA only...

 

[livingdead]

This is insane movement by the Government. First of all it is impossible to track the local citizens travelling from one province to another and even if that was possible, you can't require a piece of document from the citizen travelling from one place to another as per the constitution. I believe Polio certificate may also trigger the violation of the same chapter.

I think either this is fake, a joke or will be criticised and abolished soon

and I believe WHO should have only put restrictions to the citizens of FATA. Banning the whole of Pakistan doesn't make any sense when most of the reported cases comes from FATA only...

it does not say they will stop you from travelling, they will give polio drops if you dont have certificate.

 

[Shabaz Sharif]

This is insane movement by the Government. First of all it is impossible to track the local citizens travelling from one province to another and even if that was possible, you can't require a piece of document from the citizen travelling from one place to another as per the constitution. I believe Polio certificate may also trigger the violation of the same chapter.

I think either this is fake, a joke or will be criticised and abolished soon

and I believe WHO should have only put restrictions to the citizens of FATA. Banning the whole of Pakistan doesn't make any sense when most of the reported cases comes from FATA only...

This year reported cases has come from FATA, KPK and Sindh. All have origin in Afghanistan, then FATA to rest of the country.

"Rafique said that polio vaccination counters would be set up at all airports in Punjab within the next two days. He said that those who refuse to be administered polio drops will not be allowed to enter the province without showing polio vaccination certificates.

Polio vaccination teams aided by the police will be posted at 41 entry points from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to Punjab and all entrances from Sindh at the border in Rahim Yar Khan."

 

[xyxmt]

cant control travel of few thousand terrorists but they will control travel of millions of people, stupid decision only for show

 

[Luftwaffe]

noon league will regret it, they are inviting boots.

 

[Shabaz Sharif]

it does not say they will stop you from travelling, they will give polio drops if you dont have certificate.

Only when someone refuse to take polio drops then he will not be allowed. If any idiot refuses it then he is also putting other people in danger of polio virus. This bio terrorism most stop.

 

[Emmie]

This is insane! Mr Adviser must be informed that WHO had made Polio vaccination certificate necessarily for only those Pakistanis who are traveling abroad, not domestic.

By the way what does Mr. Adviser has to advise on water that enters in Punjab through Indus river?

 

[Emmie]

Only when someone refuse to take polio drops then he will not be allowed. If any idiot refuses it then he is also putting other people in danger of polio virus. This bio terrorism most stop.

As if Punjab, in isolation, has been declared polio free by WHO. Punjab is not polio free, presence of polio virus in Punjab has been reported many times. It'd certainly sound weird if other provinces, to avoid further worsening, put same conditions on ones traveling from Punjab.

What Mr. Adviser has advised is literally impossible for hundred of thousands of people travel to/through Punjab daily, similarly people from Punjab travel to other provinces and come back. More pragmatic approach could have been the initiation of mass immunization coupled with certification at the part of PMLN lead federal government.

 

[Shabaz Sharif]

As if Punjab, in isolation, has been declared polio free by WHO. Punjab is not polio free, presence of polio virus in Punjab has been reported many times. I'd certainly sound weird if other provinces, to avoid further worsening, put same conditions on ones traveling from Punjab.

What Mr. Adviser has advised is literally impossible for hundred of thousands of people travel to/through Punjab daily, similarly people from Punjab travel to other provinces and come back. More pragmatic approach could have been the initiation of mass immunization coupled with certification at the part of PMLN lead federal government.

Virus is found in some parts but not a single case of someone being infected. KPK goverment have failed completly in getting rid of polio.

 

[Emmie]

Virus is found in some parts but not a single case of someone being infected. KPK goverment have failed completly in getting rid of polio.

Fortunately no case reported but this doesn't mean Punjab is polio free, moreover Punjab alone can't obtain a polio free certification. Infected ones aren't the only ones who transmit polio virus to others, people/carriers without being infected can also transmit the virus. For the very reason WHO put shackles on everyone not just on infected ones or ones of less than 5 who are prone to get infected.