ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s national anti-polio program said on Wednesday that the country had reported another case of the disease from the southwestern Balochistan province, taking the tally of polio cases reported this year to 22.
The latest case was reported in a 30-month-old boy from Pishin in Balochistan, where already 14 poliovirus cases have been detected this year. The southern Sindh province has reported four while Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab and Islamabad have each reported one polio case this year.
Pakistan, along with neighboring Afghanistan, remains the last polio-endemic country in the world. Starting from late 2018, Pakistan saw a resurgence of cases and increased spread of polio, highlighting the fragility of gains achieved in the preceding three years.
“Each case represents a child whose life has been tragically and unnecessarily affected by polio,” Prime Minister’s Focal Person for Polio Eradication Ayesha Raza Farooq said.” And the only solution is timely and repeated vaccination.”
She said every polio case is a “tragic reminder” that the country has failed its children.
“I urge all parents to take responsibility and ensure their children receive the polio vaccine to fight back against polio,” she added.
The Pakistan Polio Eradication Program said two large-scale, door-to-door vaccination campaigns are planned for later this year to close immunity gaps and curb the spread of poliovirus.
Pakistan’s polio eradication program began in 1994, and the number of cases has declined dramatically since then.
Pakistan continues to face challenges in its fight against polio, including militancy, with polio workers targeted by attacks, particularly in the KP province.
The polio program has adapted to respond to climate disasters such as floods but continues to face disruptions. There are also gaps in supplementary immunization activities, especially in areas where the virus is still present.
