Cablegate: Pakistan Serious About Polio Eradication

VZCZCXYZ0019
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHIL #4421 2851349
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 121349Z OCT 07
FM AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 2473
INFO RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI 1966
RUEHBUL/AMEMBASSY KABUL 7627

UNCLAS ISLAMABAD 004421

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAID KSCA PK
SUBJECT: PAKISTAN SERIOUS ABOUT POLIO ERADICATION

REF: State 135139

1. (SBU) Economic Counselor and Economic Specialist met with
Ministry of Health (MOH) Director General Lieutenant General
(retired) Shahida Malik to deliver reftel demarche October 11. MOH
Polio Country Coordinating officer Dr. Rehan Hafiz also attended the
meeting. The Minister of Health is out of the country.

2. (SBU) Hafiz told Embassy officers that the GOP has documented
16 cases of polio this year, compared to 39 reported cases in 2006.
He hopes that the total number of cases will not exceed 20 for 2007.
The GOP is targeting 97% of an estimated 33 million children
nationwide. Growing security concerns make reaching out to remote
areas in the border areas challenging, but Malik commented that the
GOP is determined to eradicate polio. Hafiz remarked that once they
reach the children, the vaccine is not refused for religious
reasons.

3. (SBU) All border crossings with Afghanistan now have capture
points where children ages 5 or under are administered oral
vaccines. Hafiz did not have any statistics on percentage of
children vaccinated in the border areas. The GOP is working with its
Afghan counterparts to conduct National Vaccination Programs on the
same dates to ensure maximum coverage. Dr. Hafiz said that the GoP
now has a vaccine that contains polio types 1,2,3 as well as
isolated vaccines. In case of a positive identification, they go
back and revaccinate with isolated vaccine, which is more effective.

4. (SBU) The GOP receives funding for polio eradication from the
USAID, DFID, the Japanese Government, and the World Bank. He said
that the GOP needs funding beyond Feb. 2008. Pakistan Development
partners are meeting November 1 to discuss future funding.

5. (SBU) USAID Pakistan is beginning to implement a one-year
$475,000 program in the Federally Administered Tribal Agencies along
the Pakistan-Afghanistan border to strengthen social mobilization
for polio eradication and increase cross-border activities. One key
component is increasing the number of cross border immunization
posts and to ensure coordinated mobilization activities between
Pakistan and Afghanistan. The socialization mobilization component
could include Jirgas, capacity building for local journalists to
cover health issues, and outreach activities targeting religious
leaders and parents.

PATTERSON

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