New polio case reported in Pakistan, toll reaches 64

ISLAMABAD: Despite launching multiple anti-polio drives, Pakistan has reported another case of wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) in Sindh’s Jacobabad district, bringing the national tally to 64, health authorities revealed.

This latest case marks the fourth reported in Jacobabad this year, increasing Sindh’s total to 18. 18 cases have been recorded in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, while Balochistan remains the most affected province with 26 cases. Islamabad and Punjab have reported one case each so far in 2024.

A nationwide campaign was launched this week with an aim to immunize 44 million children.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif inaugurated the campaign by administering polio drops to children in Islamabad. He urged parents to cooperate fully with vaccination teams.

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In Sindh, the provincial health department began a seven-day anti-polio campaign on Monday, aiming to vaccinate around 16 million children by December 22.

Over 80,000 frontline workers, supported by 15,000 security personnel, will go door-to-door to administer the drops and ensure the safety of the teams.

Authorities have called for parents’ full support in this critical effort to eradicate polio and protect future generations from the crippling disease.

The Pakistan Polio Eradication Programme reiterated that polio is a “paralysing disease with no cure” and emphasized the importance of completing routine vaccinations for all children under five to provide them with high immunity.