Factor Affecting Polio Eradication Program in Pakistan

Abstract

Polio is one of the major viral diseases in the developing countries caused by a polio virus which leads to life time paralysis, usually in legs and in some cases even death could be occurred. The virus could be transmitting form one infected child to other and also passes to environment through feces of infected person. Polio is eradicated from the world except three countries i.e., Pakistan, Afghanistan and Nigeria. Pakistan is considered the exporter of polio virus to endemic countries with highest number of polio cases in recent years. In last two decades, lots of efforts have been made in Pakistan for a polio free country but still struggling. The government of Pakistan developed National Emergency Action Plan (NEAP) for polio eradication in 2014 which results 82% declining in polio cases in 2015. The findings of this study identified that highest potential factor which affecting polio eradication program is poor routine EPI with beta value of (-0.80). The study was carried out in 115 Union councils of District Okara by targeting 88 respondents through simple random sampling.