Two new cases of polio have been confirmed in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Sindh, bringing the total number of polio cases in the country to 194 as of January 10.
According to a report by the Polio Monitoring and Coordination Cell, the cases were reported in K-P and Sindh in December 2011.
In K-P, 11-month-old Muhammad, a resident of Bataai Korona village, Tani tehsil of Charsadda district, started showing symptoms of paralysis on December 28. This was the first polio case reported in the district in 2011.
The Polio Monitoring and Coordination Cell report stated that the child received only five OPV doses and two routine doses. He missed a few OPV doses due to the reluctance of his parents.
Similarly, in Sindh, 20-month old Salam, resident of Chanesar Khas Kheli village, Dubi union council of Badin district began showing symptoms of paralysis on December 19. According to Salam parents, the child received only seven OPV doses, including three routine doses. The report stated that Salam is the fourth polio case reported in Badin in 2011.
From 2011 till January 10, 2012, a total of 72 polio cases have been reported in Balochistan, 57 in Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata), 33 in Sindh, 23 in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, eight in Punjab and one in Gilgit-Baltistan, the report stated.
Talking to The Express Tribune, provincial Deputy Director of the Expanded Progarmme on Immunization (EPI) Dr Janbaz Afridi said that Pakistan ranks on top, with the most polio cases in the world.
Earlier this month, K-P Governor Barrister Masood Kausar held a meeting with parliamentarians, senators from Fata and religious scholars and expressed concern over the rising number of polio cases. He also urged religious scholars to play their role in eradicating the crippling disease from the society.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 14th, 2012.
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