Health: WHO highlights polio concern in K-P

EPI director explains causes of polio transmission and protection measures.

PESHAWAR:

The incidence of polio cases is on the rise in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. The threat of the polio virus is high in the provincial capital. Experts blame water contamination, environmental pollution and the presence of the virus in drinking water for the rising incidences of polio.

Expanded Programme of Immunization (EPI) Director Dr Janbaz told APP that the World Health Organization (WHO) was conducting a survey on the two major causes.

The virus had been detected in samples taken during the previous survey, which were taken from Shaheen Muslim Town, Gulbahar, Sheikhabad, Kohat Road, Warsak Road, Pajagi Road and
Charsadda Road.

Dr Janbaz said that the virus was found in the urine of infected children and is transmitted to others through drinking water. There is an increased risk as many drains have leaky pipelines. He urged parents to ensure the administration of polio drops to their children to protect them from the crippling disease.

Furthermore, if immunisation teams are unable to reach them at homes, the children should be taken to a nearby health unit. He also added that two new polio cases have been reported in K-P in the current year, one in Mohmand Agency and the other in Peshawar.

He said that a total of 28 new polio cases have been reported in the country, out of which two are in K-P, 14 in Fata, five in Balochistan and seven in Sindh.



Published in The Express Tribune, April 19^th, 2011.