33rd case of year: Polio hits 11 year old child in Mardan

ISLAMABAD:

Detection of an 11 year old child from Mardan as the 33rd polio case of the current year is being termed as the ‘beginning of the end of the disease’ by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the National Institute of Health (NIH).

WHO Senior Coordinator for polio eradication Dr Elias Durry said the poliovirus attack in Mardan was unable to affect children of around five years of age, which shows that great progress has been made against the disease.

According to NIH Polio virology laboratory, Tasmina the 11 year old of Mardan district has been diagnosed as the recent case of the crippling virus.

Dr. Elias Durry said this case shows that even with the induction of the poliovirus the virus could not target children with low immunity levels. He said the detection of the poliovirus also proves the excellent surveillance systems of the WHO at place.  he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 14^th, 2012.