Afghanistan, March 8 -- Pakistan remains one of the few countries where polio remains endemic, alongside Afghanistan. Despite extensive efforts by the government, international organizations, and health workers, the eradication of polio continues to face significant challenges related to politics, misinformation, and security concerns.
A recent editorial in Pakistan's leading newspaper, Dawn, described a dispute between the central government and Punjab authorities over a polio case in Mandi Bahauddin as "unnecessary and counterproductive." Punjab officials contend that the child in question does not meet the clinical criteria for polio, while the National Institute of Health has confirmed the presence of the virus in a stool sample. The e...