32 affected across Pakistan: 20 polio-hit children miss routine immunisation, 5 skip drops: PEI officials

ISLAMABAD: Of the 32 children affected by polio this year across Pakistan, 20 had not received even a single vaccine as part of routine immunisation, while 5 had not received a single dose of the Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV) during door-to-door vaccination drives, Polio Eradication Initiative (PEI) officials Thursday said.

These statistics were presented at a high-level meeting, chaired by Prime Minister’s National Coordinator on Health Dr Malik Mukhtar Barath, which reviewed the alarming surge in polio cases across multiple provinces in 2024. The meeting was informed that the virus had resurfaced after a long period of low transmission, with 32 cases reported this year. Of these, 16 cases emerged from Balochistan, 10 from Sindh, four from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and one case each from Punjab and Islamabad.

The National Coordinator expressed concern over the outbreak, noting that 68 districts showed evidence of wild poliovirus transmission this year. Dr. Barath emphasised that the current epidemiology is “worrisome”, but expressed confidence in the program’s ability to reverse the trend through the joint efforts of federal and provincial governments.

Participants, including Federal Secretary for Health Nadeem Mehboob, national and provincial coordinators of the Polio Programme, and representatives from international organisations conducted a thorough review of the virus’ spread.

According to officials, after a near-eradication in 2021 with no cases reported for almost 15 months, the virus re-emerged in 2022, mainly in South Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, contributing to 20 cases. The recent surge, however, is linked to cross-border transmission from Afghanistan, which began in 2023 and has continued throughout 2024, spreading geographically across Pakistan.

The meeting was briefed on the progress of the 2-4-6 strategy aimed at curbing the outbreak. Provincial health coordinators shared updates on their ongoing efforts to protect children, including the challenges they face in high-risk areas. They stressed the critical need to reach unvaccinated children, many of whom face severe disease manifestations due to a complete lack of immunisation.

“Children who missed vaccinations altogether are experiencing severe illness, while those who received inadequate doses remain susceptible, albeit with milder symptoms,” Dr Barath observed, urging provincial health departments to intensify routine immunisation campaigns. He also called on parents to recognise their responsibility in protecting their children, stressing the importance of both routine immunisation and participation in door-to-door polio campaigns.