TY - JOUR
T1 - Polio in Pakistan
T2 - Social constraints and travel implications
AU - Mushtaq, Asim
AU - Mehmood, Sajid
AU - Rehman, Muhammad Ateeq Ur
AU - Younas, Asma
AU - Rehman, Muhammad Saif Ur
AU - Malik, Muhamamd Faheem
AU - Hyder, Muhammad Zeeshan
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2015 Elsevier Ltd.
PY - 2015/9
Y1 - 2015/9
N2 - The Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) in Pakistan has faced failure despite being implemented successfully. Polio cases were successfully reduced by 99% until 2005. However, thereafter, new polio cases were registered, which continue to rise annually. This repeat polio outbreak has placed the country on watch by the World Health Organization (WHO) due to travelers, and Hajj and Umrah pilgrims. The present report reviews the published literature for determining the social constraints to the polio eradication initiative in Pakistan. Religion, politics, awareness, insecurity, inequity, governance, and social responsibility have been identified as key social factors in the failure of any vaccination campaign. Possible interventions have been proposed, which include effectively using modern mass media and educating vaccinators on the social and cultural background of the target community.
AB - The Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) in Pakistan has faced failure despite being implemented successfully. Polio cases were successfully reduced by 99% until 2005. However, thereafter, new polio cases were registered, which continue to rise annually. This repeat polio outbreak has placed the country on watch by the World Health Organization (WHO) due to travelers, and Hajj and Umrah pilgrims. The present report reviews the published literature for determining the social constraints to the polio eradication initiative in Pakistan. Religion, politics, awareness, insecurity, inequity, governance, and social responsibility have been identified as key social factors in the failure of any vaccination campaign. Possible interventions have been proposed, which include effectively using modern mass media and educating vaccinators on the social and cultural background of the target community.
KW - Pakistan
KW - Polio
KW - Socioeconomic factors
KW - Travel
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84944150953&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.tmaid.2015.06.004
DO - 10.1016/j.tmaid.2015.06.004
M3 - Review article
C2 - 26324410
AN - SCOPUS:84944150953
SN - 1477-8939
VL - 13
SP - 360
EP - 366
JO - Travel Medicine and Infectious Disease
JF - Travel Medicine and Infectious Disease
IS - 5
ER -
