Pakistan Confirms Fourth Case of Poliovirus in a Year
by Naba Batool
SHARES
Pakistan national polio laboratory has confirmed the fourth case of polio this year. This case has been reported in a 13-month-old boy in North Waziristan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa who was paralyzed because of the virus.
The affected child was a resident of Mir Ali. The virus was detected in the 13-month-old in late April and the paralysis was developed on May 5. It is also of major concern that this is Mir Ali’s 3rd case of the year. After the inquiries, it came to the surface that the child never received the polio vaccination.
Community Health Worker Kalsoom administers polio drops to help ensure good health, strong immune system & a #poliofree life for little Ishwa 🧍♀️ & Maaz 🧍♂️
More than 7.2 million children will be vaccinated in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa during the ongoing polio campaign.#VaccinesWork pic.twitter.com/xi4XKAwxXV
— Pak Fights Polio (@PakFightsPolio) May 26, 2022
Poliovirus is mostly reported in the southern districts of KP such as North and South Waziristan, DI Khan, Bannu, Tank, and Lakki Marwat. Furthermore, the environmental report of the Bannu district also came positive between the months of April and May this year. This is a clear indication that the virus is spreading at a faster pace in other regions of Pakistan as well.
It is a matter of great concern that all the reported cases belong to North Waziristan where the population is rigid regarding exposing their households to vaccination campaigns. The Pakistan Polio Programme has conducted emergency plans and actions to administer vaccination programs at the entry and exit points in the KPK.
The number of reported cases in the region has now reached five. It all started with the reporting of one case in Afghanistan.
The Health Minister in a press release said that "All parents must realize the risk that wild polio continues to pose to children all over Pakistan. Please ensure that your children are vaccinated in the ongoing nationwide campaign being conducted in all 156 districts of the country,"
The government has initiated campaigns to administer polio vaccinations in the hotspot of the virus especially in KPK.
