WHO shares update on travel restrictions on Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: The World Health Organization (WHO) has decided to extend conditional international travel restrictions on Pakistan for an additional three months due to ongoing concerns about the spread of wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1).

The 42nd meeting of the WHO Emergency Committee for Polio, was held on June 18 via video conference, with participation from authorities of polio-affected countries.

The committee reviewed the global spread of WPV1 and assessed the situation in Pakistan and Afghanistan, identifying both countries as persistent risks for the international spread of the virus.

The WHO expressed concern over the continued transmission of WPV1 between Pakistan and Afghanistan, particularly through cross-border movement in regions such as southern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), Quetta Block, southern Afghanistan, Karachi, and Peshawar, where the virus remains prevalent.

According to the WHO, the spread of WPV1 is facilitated by cross-border travel and the movement of displaced populations, with Pakistan reporting a significant increase in polio-positive sewage samples. Sensitive areas, including KP, Sindh, Balochistan, and central regions of Pakistan, continue to be hotspots for WPV1, with Karachi, Peshawar, and Quetta Block identified as key strongholds of the virus.

The WHO also raised concerns about a reported polio case in Gilgit-Baltistan and the number of children missing polio vaccinations in Pakistan.

The WHO stated that achieving the 2025 polio eradication target is unlikely due to the ongoing viral spread. However, the organization expressed satisfaction with Pakistan’s polio eradication efforts and confidence in the quality of its vaccination campaigns.

Pakistan’s Prime Minister and team were commended for their commitment to eliminating polio, with effective provincial and regional campaigns ongoing.

The WHO emphasized the need for continued bilateral cooperation between Pakistan and Afghanistan to curb polio transmission, urging both countries to sustain joint vaccination campaigns and enhance surveillance measures.

Pakistan’s polio surveillance will continue for an additional three months, and mandatory polio vaccinations will be required for outbound travelers. The WHO will review Pakistan’s progress in polio eradication after this period.