Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

North Waziristan reports 12th polio virus case

The lastest case also brings Pakistan's annual tally so far to 12 cases

Razya Khan July 14, 2022

A boy receives polio vaccine drops, during an anti-polio campaign, in a low-income neighborhood as the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continues, in Karachi

Pakistan's 12th case of wild polio virus was reported in North Waziristan on Thursday, after a 21-month old boy was confirmed to have contracted the ailment.

All the 12 polio cases have been reported from North Waziristan this year.

The child, hailing from the Mir Ali district, had an onset of paralysis on June 18. The Pakistan National Polio Laboratory at the National Institute of Health, Islamabad has confirmed.

According to preliminary investigations, the child has been paralyzed in the right leg.

The southern districts of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, namely North and South Waziristan, DI Khan, Bannu, Tank and Lakki Marwat are at the highest risk of wild poliovirus transmission.

Bannu also reported two positive environmental samples between April and May this year, confirming that ongoing wild poliovirus transmission is not limited to North Waziristan.

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Federal Health Minister Abdul Qadir Patel said that the Pakistan Polio Programme had repeated immunization campaigns in southern K-P since the first child was reported with polio-induced paralysis and continues to strive to ensure that the virus does not spread.

“Even though these cases are happening in the same part of the country, parents and caregivers around Pakistan must remain extremely vigilant and give their children repeated doses of the polio vaccine,” said Federal Health Secretary Dr Fakhre Alam Irfan.

This year, 13 cases have been reported in Pakistan and Afghanistan, the only two polio-endemic countries left in the world.

National Emergency Operations Centre Coordinator Dr Shahzad Baig stated that community resistance, driven by misconceptions and cultural resistance to the vaccine, were hurdles in polio eradication in Pakistan.

“Polio eradication campaigns in South K-P will be held on separate dates from the rest of the country so quality is not compromised. The campaigns will be synchronized with Afghanistan and microplans will be strengthened to include all communities, including migrants and displaced persons,” said Dr Shahzad.