Two new cases of polio were reported from North Waziristan Agency (NWA) on Friday, taking this year’s total reported cases to 52 in less than four months.
The new cases were confirmed by the National Institute of Health (NIH), Islamabad to be wild poliovirus type-1.
According to an NIH official, the first victim is 18-month-old Rabia, daughter of Hamza Mir and resident of Qallar Astar village of Miranshah tehsil, NWA. The second child is 48-month-old Shah Qadar Meend, daughter of Neer Muhammad and resident of Khyshi village of Miramshah tehsil.
The official added that none of the children have received a single dose of oral polio vaccine.
A ban on polio vaccination has been imposed by the Taliban in the restive agency since June 2012, leaving thousands of children vulnerable to the crippling disease.
The Federally Administered Tribal Areas have reported 41 of the 52 cases confirmed this year. Thirty-six are from NWA, three from South Waziristan, one from Khyber Agency and one from Frontier Region Bannu.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 26th, 2014.
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