Khyber Pakhtunkhwa [Pakistan], January 8 : Pakistan has confirmed a new case of polio in Tank, a district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, bringing the total number of cases to 69, according to a statement from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) on Wednesday, as reported by the Dawn.
This marks a significant concern as Pakistan remains one of the last two countries in the world, alongside Afghanistan, where the polio virus continues to be endemic, the Dawn reported.
Polio primarily affects children under the age of five and can lead to permanent paralysis in some cases.
The Dawn further reported that the NIH statement confirmed that the Regional Reference Laboratory for Polio Eradication had identified the 69th wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) case of 2024. The latest case was detected on January 7 in Tank, making it the fifth case in the district for the year.
The 69 reported cases of the disease this year are spread across several regions of Pakistan, with the highest numbers in Balochistan (27 cases), Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (21), and Sindh (19). A single case was also reported each from Punjab and Islamabad.
According to the Dawn, Polio remains a grave health challenge for Pakistan, despite global efforts to eradicate it. The persistence of the disease can be attributed to several obstacles, including security concerns in some areas, vaccine hesitancy, and the spread of misinformation that has hindered vaccination campaigns. These factors have delayed significant progress in eliminating polio from the country.
Polio is a debilitating and potentially fatal disease with no cure. Health experts emphasize the critical need for multiple doses of the oral polio vaccine to ensure immunity against the virus, particularly for children under five. Completing the full vaccination schedule is essential for preventing further outbreaks.
In a related development, Afghanistan also reported 25 cases of polio for the year 2024. Despite concerted efforts to control the disease, both countries continue to face challenges in their fight against polio, underlining the urgent need for strengthened vaccination campaigns and increased public awareness.
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