Spreading disease: Another polio case detected in Balochistan

Pishin, Qila Saifullah and some parts of Quetta declared high risk areas.

QUETTA:

A one-year-old girl was detected with polio in Quetta, bringing the number of polio cases in Balochistan to 18 this year.

The cases are occuring despite anti-polio drives being launched every month for its control.  The child, Hajra Bibi, daughter of Rozi Khan, is a resident of  Kharotabad, a  suburb of Quetta.

Earlier this year, seven cases were reported in Qila Saifullah, five in Pishin, and two in Khuzdar, while three were reported in Naushki district.

The provincial coordinator for the Expanded Programme on Immunization, Dr Mohammad Ayub, confirmed the polio case and said that Hajra was being given anti-polio vaccines for over seven months, but was in poor condition.  “It was the first case in Quetta in the last 15 months,” he said.

Polio cases have increased this year as compared to last year, when twelve cases were detected. As a result, Pishin, Qila Saifullah as well as some parts of Quetta have been declared high risk areas by officials. “The residents of these areas have frequent interaction with Afghan people and it is likely that the virus may be transmitted to them this way,” Dr Ayub added.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 8^th, 2011.