ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Wednesday reported another polio case in its southwestern Balochistan province, bringing the total number of infected children in the South Asian country this year to 43.
The Regional Reference Laboratory for Polio Eradication at the National Institute of Health (NIH) confirmed the detection of wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) in a child from the Chagai District of Balochistan. This marks the first polio case reported from Chagai and the 43rd case nationwide this year.
Data from the Pakistan Polio Eradication Programme shows that so far in 2024, Pakistan has documented 43 polio cases, highlighting a troubling increase in infections, particularly in Balochistan and Sindh.
According to the Data, the number of polio cases in Balochistan now stands at 22, while Sindh has recorded 12 cases, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa seven cases, and both Punjab and Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) have recorded one case each.
Despite ongoing vaccination efforts, health officials are concerned about the virus’s continued spread. In 2023, Pakistan reported only six polio cases—four in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and two in Sindh, while there was only one case in 2021.
Genetic sequencing of the samples collected from the child is currently underway.
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A nationwide polio vaccination campaign is ongoing from October 28 to November 3, aiming to immunize over 45 million children under the age of five against polio.
It is crucial for parents to welcome vaccinators into their homes during this campaign and ensure that all children receive two drops of the oral polio vaccine (OPV) to protect them from the devastating effects of polio.
Earlier on Monday, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif chaired a high-level meeting and reaffirmed the government’s commitment to eradicating polio in the country during a high-level meeting focused on the nation’s polio elimination efforts. He emphasized the need for coordinated action, declaring, “We will not rest until we have permanently defeated polio.”
