Pakistan’s plan to eradicate Polio by this year has been held up. The nation has recorded six cases so far, dashing hopes of recording no cases at all. There are further concerns that foreign cuts under US president Donald Trump could compound national health programs.
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00:00When Sadia Suleimani was a young child, a day spent playing in the mud led to tragedy.
00:10I had a fever for 21 days. The doctor gave me an injection and my leg was affected.
00:18I was injected at night and in the morning my legs were not good. I couldn't even touch the floor.
00:24At five years old she contracted polio, an incurable virus which mainly affects kids and can cause paralysis.
00:34Sadia had to relearn to walk and needs crutches to get around.
00:38Now she's on the front line to prevent other children from contracting polio.
00:43But in Pakistan there's hesitancy.
00:48They have doubts over the contents of the vaccine. They doubt that no one has seen it be manufactured or where it came from to get here.
00:56I tell parents that refuse, you're committing an atrocity on your children.
01:01My parents and I think, had there been a vaccination campaign in my time, I would not have been helpless.
01:08Pakistan is one of only two countries where polio is yet to be eradicated.
01:14In 2023 it was on the brink of being polio free but within a year cases skyrocketed.
01:21Six have already been recorded since January despite mass vaccination campaigns.
01:27Some experts are calling for a rethink.
01:30I think the main strategy has to be to improve the routine immunisation that every child born should be registered.
01:39He should get all the vaccines before he's two years old.
01:44Billions of dollars have already been spent trying to eradicate polio in Pakistan.
01:49But efforts have been hindered by geography, public mistrust and security concerns.
01:55Polio is not just a problem here in Pakistan.
01:58The disease is still endemic in neighbouring Afghanistan and the porous border makes it difficult to keep cases contained.
02:07Senior officials at the WHO warn US funding cuts to foreign aid could have a devastating impact on Pakistan and Afghanistan's polio eradication programs.
02:17Global eradication efforts will lose $210 million this year.
02:22But officials in Pakistan aren't concerned.
02:25There is not much effect of this thing to our operational as we are doing already and we are committed and the government is committed.
02:38Despite some vaccine resistance in communities like hers, Sadia is hopeful soon Pakistan will be declared polio free.