The third polio case of 2024 has been reported in Killa Abdullah district, Balochistan province of Pakistan.
According to the Regional Reference Laboratory for Polio at the National Institute of Health, wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) was detected in stool samples from a child in Darozai union council, who developed paralysis symptoms on April 20. Genetic sequencing of the virus is underway.
“It is incredibly tragic that another child has been affected by polio this year in Balochistan,” said Dr. Malik Mukhtar Ahmed Bharath, Coordinator to the Prime Minister on National Health Services. He added that polio is a terrible illness that changes not just the child’s life but also that of the whole family.
“The government is bringing the polio vaccine to our citizens’ doorsteps in multiple vaccination rounds,” he said. “I urge families to understand the risk this disease poses to children and ensure they vaccinate all their children under five when the polio worker visits.”
Dr. Shahzad Baig, Coordinator of the National Emergency Operations Centre for Polio Eradication, stated that a detailed case investigation will be launched immediately to identify the virus origins, find populations that may have missed vaccination, and take corrective measures to contain its spread.
“We have already conducted four polio vaccination campaigns this year, including two nationwide campaigns to boost children’s immunity, and we will conduct another campaign in June,” he added.
This is the third polio case in Balochistan this year and the first in Killa Abdullah in three years. Last year, six polio cases were reported in the country: four from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and two from Karachi.
https://en.dailypakistan.com.pk/14-Mar-2024/first-polio-case-of-2024-reported-in-pakistan
