By Muhammad Obaidullah Mirani
In Pakistan whenever a national issue emerges its solution is often sought in statements rather than in action and a serious disease like polio has not been spared from this pattern Recently Bilawal Bhutto Zardari issued a statement regarding the anti polio campaign which like many others was filled with grand claims visions of a healthy future and advice for the public yet it seemed to lack a clear reflection of ground realities It was said that the polio campaign is an important step towards a healthy future which is certainly true but the question remains were such steps not taken in the past Do campaigns not take place every year Is it not repeatedly claimed that this is the final phase then when will that final destination actually arrive or has the term final phase simply become another political phrase with little connection to reality
The anti polio campaign has been described as a war against a collective threat but if this is truly a war then where is the strategy Wars are not won by declarations alone they require planning consistency and sincere leadership Unfortunately it must be said that with every new campaign old mistakes are repeated Frontline workers are rightly called heroes as they continue their duties despite extreme heat security risks and social resistance however the real question is whether these heroes are given proper protection fair compensation and the respect they deserve or are they only celebrated in statements and forgotten in practice In many parts of society mistrust and rumors regarding the polio campaign remain a serious challenge People in several areas still fear polio drops consider them part of conspiracies or simply lack trust In such circumstances merely advising parents is not enough building trust requires consistent honest and meaningful efforts from the authorities yet the focus often appears to shift from awareness to shifting responsibility onto the public Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has stated that polio spreads due to negligence and can be eliminated through awareness This statement is partly correct but not the complete truth because when state institutions fail to fulfill their responsibilities when the healthcare system remains weak and when basic facilities are lacking placing the entire burden on the public is not justified
The real issue is not just polio but the overall governance system a system where temporary campaigns are used to address long term problems where consistent policy is missing and where announcements are valued more than outcomes The eradication of polio cannot be achieved through a few days of campaigns it requires a long term strategy a strong healthcare infrastructure and genuine engagement with the public It is also important to understand that polio is not merely a medical issue but a reflection of social and administrative failures where poverty lack of education and weak public trust allow such diseases to persist The question now is whether we truly aim to eradicate polio or merely continue to run annual campaigns to fulfill a formality Do we have the courage to acknowledge our shortcomings and correct them or will we once again rely on a flood of statements while ignoring the real issues Until we move beyond rhetoric and focus on practical steps the fight against polio will remain confined to words The nation will continue to be given new hopes every year but the outcome will remain unchanged The time has come to deliver results instead of slogans because the public no longer wants to hear statements it wants to see action and if that action does not materialize then the polio campaign will become just another chapter in history rather than a success story
