Cases from 7 Major Cities Reported Positive for Polio
by Hamna Bano
SHARES
Contrary to the claims of the Government, new sampling of poliovirus has shown that the virus is present in major urban cities. It was earlier suggested by the Government that the cases were just restricted to the Southern districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
New environmental samples from seven cities of Pakistan have returned positive. The virus has also been reported in sewage samples collected after a gap of 16 months from Lahore and Islamabad. Both of these cities were declared Polio free in March 2021.
On this situation of ambiguity, an official of the National Institute of health sais that, “samples from Islamabad, Lahore, Rawalpindi, Peshawar, Bannu, Nowshera and Swat were found positive.”
“Samples were collected from July 18 to 20 and were sent to the polio virology lab for testing. Since the virus has again reached Islamabad and Lahore, we should be ready for polio cases from all seven cities” he added.
The Minister of National Health Sevices Abdul Qadir Patel says that the committed efforts and effective strategies are being designed to eradicate the virus.
“We have been taking steps to control the virus in seven cities which have reported positive environmental samples. I appeal to the parents to make sure that their children are vaccinated during every polio campaign”, he said.
Dr. Fakhar e Alam who is the Federal Health Secretary visitd the National Emergency Operations Center, Islamabad to get the brief on the ongoing polio situation and the upcoming polio campaigns leading to its eradication.
Islamabad: Federal Health Secretary @nhsrcofficial Dr. Muhammad Fakhre Alam visited the National Emergency Operations Center.
He was briefed on the current polio situation and upcoming campaign preparedness before touring the operations room & other sections of the center. pic.twitter.com/KPaEtmcyva
— Pak Fights Polio (@PakFightsPolio) August 3, 2022
Abdul Qadir Patel informed the masses that the new polio eradication campaign will kick off from August 22, 2022. With that, the presence of the polio virus in the sewage water samples is also raising questions about the immunity levels of the children.
