Two more polio cases detected

Nationwide 2024 tally reaches 67

ISLAMABAD:

The Regional Reference Laboratory for Polio Eradication at the National Institute of Health has confirmed two new cases of wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) in Pakistan, bringing the total number of cases this year to 67.

The latest cases were reported from Tank in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) and Kashmore in Sindh. This marks the fourth polio case from Tank and the second from Kashmore in 2024.

Pakistan has witnessed a significant resurgence of WPV1 this year, with 27 cases reported in Balochistan, 19 in K-P, 19 in Sindh, and one each in Punjab and Islamabad.

Polio, a crippling disease with no cure, can only be prevented through immunisation. Multiple doses of the oral polio vaccine and the completion of routine vaccinations for children under five are vital to ensuring immunity against the virus.

In response to the outbreak, Pakistan's Polio Eradication Programme has intensified its efforts, conducting multiple mass vaccination campaigns. These drives aim to reach children directly at their doorsteps, while the Expanded Programme on Immunisation provides free vaccinations against 12 childhood diseases at health facilities nationwide.

Last week, a large-scale sub-national polio vaccination campaign vaccinated over 42 million children across Punjab, Sindh, K-P, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan, and Islamabad. The second phase of the campaign, covering Balochistan, is set to begin on December 30.

Health officials have urged parents to cooperate with vaccinators and ensure their children under five are vaccinated. "The key to protecting our children from this devastating disease lies in widespread immunisation," the programme emphasised.