Islamabad [Pakistan], January 27 : In a concerning development in Pakistan's fight against polio, recent sewage samples collected from the Mirpurkhas, Thatta, and Naushahro Feroze districts in Sindh have tested positive for Wild Polio virus Type 1, ARY News reported.
The samples, collected on December 23 and 24, confirm the presence of the virus in these areas. This discovery follows a troubling trend, with over 480 sewage samples testing positive for poliovirus in 2024 alone.
Pakistan continues to struggle with polio eradication, with 73 cases reported across the country in 2024, according to ARY News.
Earlier, the Regional Reference Laboratory for Polio Eradication at the National Institute of Health (NIH) confirmed the detection of a Wild Poliovirus Type 1 (WPV1) case in the country. The lab reported a case involving a female child from Dera Ismail Khan, with the onset of the illness occurring on December 31, 2024.
Dera Ismail Khan has now reported 11 polio cases in 2024.
Pakistan is grappling with a significant resurgence of Wild Poliovirus Type 1 (WPV1), with 72 cases reported in 2024. The regional breakdown of cases is alarming: 27 in Balochistan, 22 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 21 in Sindh, and one each in Punjab and Islamabad.
Polio, a highly infectious disease, can cause paralysis and even death, with no cure available. However, vaccination remains the most effective way to protect children from this crippling disease. Multiple doses of the oral polio vaccine and completing the routine vaccination schedule for children under five are crucial to providing high immunity against polio.
To combat the resurgence, the Pakistan Polio Program conducts multiple mass vaccination drives annually, delivering vaccines directly to children's doorsteps. Additionally, the Expanded Program on Immunization provides free vaccinations against 12 childhood diseases at health facilities.
In a bid to curb the spread of polio, Pakistan's first nationwide polio vaccination campaign for 2025 is scheduled to take place from February 3 to February 9.
It is crucial for parents to ensure that all their children under the age of five are vaccinated to keep them protected.
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