AFP SURVEILLANCE;

REVIEW OF MOHMAND AGENCY FATA

Abstract

Objectives: To determine the status of the AFP surveillance system at Mohmand agency FATA in a sense to improve the
sensitivity of the system in 2012. Design: Retrospective study. Setting: Mohmand agency FATA. Period: Jan-Dec 2011. Methodology: The
relevant information were recorded from the Rec files of these cases in accordance to the objectives of the study. Results: A total of 25 cases
were reported in 2011 in Mohmand agency as AFP cases. Eleven were females (44%) and 14(56%) were males. The age range of these
patients were from 6 months to 14 years of age. Mean age with SD was 37.12+33 months. Four cases were confirmed polio type 1 wild type
cases. The frequency of cases reported from various tehsils were: safi (36%), Pindialy and ekka ghund, Halimzai 16%, Prang ghar and
ambar4%, and Khweze/baizai 8%. Fourteen (56% cases) reported as urgent cases. Majority of the cases (28%) were injection neuritis, 20%
cases diagnosed as traumatic neuritis, 4% as Guillain barre syndrome, and 8% as meningitis. 16 cases were cross reported from other
agencies and the remaining from the agency itself. Ghallani AHQ Hospital, RHC Ekka ghund and Mechany BHU are main diagnostic and
referral centers for AFP in the agency. The lab results reported 4 cases with P1 wild type virus. Conclusions: We have at time a bit weak
surveillance system for AFP and the agency being a part of FATA and its security volatile situation, all makes it more suitable for the polio virus
to circulate. There is low level of awareness and stigma associated with Polio vaccines which is alarming for public health workers. The cross
reported cases ration is more which shows bit weak catch up at station level.