National polio tally climbs to 266 as four new cases emerge

Two pertain to FATA, one to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa while the fourth is from Balochistan

LAHORE: Four new cases of polio emerged in Pakistan on Friday, taking this year's tally to 266, Express News reported.

Of the four new cases, two pertained to Federally Administered Tribal Areas, one to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa while the fourth was from Balochistan.

In recent times, polio campaign teams have faced sever difficulty in their task to administer polio drops to children across the country. With a lack of provision for security, members of these teams face threats and are on many occasions attacked.

On November 26 four polio workers were shot dead while three others were wounded in a targeted attack on their vehicle near Quetta.

In relation to the Quetta attack, the World Health Organisation (WHO) was alleged to have suspended its operations in Balochistan but had denied the reports and said that neither had they closed nor withdrawn their operations.

Karachi

Lack of security provision in Karachi resulted in the postponing of a three-day anti polio campaign in Gadap Town on Friday.

Due to lack of security, Union Council number 4 has yet again postponed the campaign.

Risk of polio in Gadap Town is high, which nine cases emerging from this area alone this year.