The coronavirus-induced lockdown has led to a spike in the number of polio cases in Pakistan, due to disruption in the inoculation process, as per the study published in the journal News Medical and Life Sciences report.

Lead author Misbahud Din, a researcher in molecular biology and immunology at Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad said: "The increase in polio cases could result in the global export of infections and healthcare authorities must intensify efforts to track and vaccinate unvaccinated children.”

Din told SciDev.Net that "80 cases of wild poliovirus (WPV) and 64 cases of circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus (cVDPV) have been reported in 2020."

The study revealed that a whopping 40 million children missed polio vaccination after the country halted the vaccination drive beginning from March 2. The programme is usually carried out under the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI).

Pakistan resumed the vaccination drive in July with support from UNICEF, WHO and GPEI.

The study noted that the Covid-19 protocols led to vaccine supply disruptions and elevated shipment costs during the four-month break had caused a momentum loss in a concerted drive to make the country polio-free.

Two years ago, with only 12 reported cases, Pakistan had come close to becoming polio-free. However, the number of cases rose to 147 in 2019.

Dr Din believes that this is due to "illiteracy, vaccine refusal by parents, poverty, conspiracy theories and rejection of vaccination by some local religious scholars."

The authors wrote: “It could be concluded that diverting public health funds to fight against other outbreaks disrupted polio eradication plans, which could lead to the spread of poliovirus in areas of low immunization coverage and immunity."

Palitha Mahipala, Representative, World Health Organisation said: “The polio program with its partners has now been able to ramp up activities with a revitalized resolve to end polio in Pakistan as recently done by Africa."

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