In a worrying development, a new case of poliovirus was reported in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's Dera Ismail Khan, taking the total number of cases to 56 in Pakistan this year.
A 27-month-old child was diagnosed with poliovirus in DI Khan's Drazanda tehsil, said the health department on Wednesday. So far, a total of seven cases have been reported in the district.
According to the officials, several children have been crippled by the virus as the "perilous security situation" affecting the anti-polio drive in southern part of the province.
Meanwhile, the department said that this was the 15th polio case reported in KP.
Last week, two cases of poliovirus were reported in Balochistan while another was reported in KP.
Balochistan has reported the highest number of poliovirus cases in 2024 followed by KP. Sindh has reported 13 cases, whereas Punjab and Islamabad have each reported one case of polio this year.
The fresh cases come as Pakistan remains one of the last two countries in the world where the wild poliovirus continues to spread.
This persistence is largely attributed to obstacles such as insecurity, misinformation, and community reluctance, which hinder vaccination efforts.
The highly contagious viral disease predominantly affects children under five, particularly those with weak immunity or inadequate vaccination.
Health authorities have time and again underscored the importance of vaccination campaigns to curb the spread of this preventable disease, which remains a significant public health challenge in the country.
Meanwhile, the increasing cases of the crippling disease have prompted the Polio Oversight Board (POB) to emphasise the need to intensify routine immunisation (RI) efforts in Balochistan and south KP.
During a recent visit to the country from November 20 to 22, the board underscored the significance of ensuring consistent access to vulnerable children and achieving complete eradication of polio from the country.
The POB, the highest decision-making body under the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI), comprises leaders from the World Health Organisation (WHO), United Nations Children's Fund (Unicef), the CDC, Rotary International and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
The delegation, led by Dr Chris Elias, included WHO Regional Director Dr Hanan Balkhy, Unicef Regional Director Sanjay Wijesekera, US CDC Deputy Director Andi Fristedt, and representatives from KS Relief.
Ayesha Raza Farooq, the Prime Minister’s Focal Person for Polio Eradication, hosted the delegation at the National Emergency Operations Centre (NEOC).
"We are tackling the virus resurgence on a war footing, using tailored strategies to reach missed children, combat vaccine hesitancy, and integrate health services for vulnerable communities," said Farooq.
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