Poliovirus Tally Reaches 64 in Pakistan with New Case in Sindh

A new wild poliovirus case has been reported in Jacobabad, Sindh, bringing Pakistan’s total to 64 cases for 2024.

This marks the fourth polio case in Sindh, increasing the province’s total to 18 reported cases this year.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has also recorded 18 cases, while Balochistan has reported 26 children affected by the disease.

Islamabad and Punjab have each confirmed one case of poliovirus so far in 2024.

The Pakistan Polio Eradication Programme emphasized that polio is a “paralysing” disease with “no cure,” highlighting that routine vaccinations for children under five are critical in providing “high immunity” against the disease.

In response to the rising cases, Pakistan has ramped up its vaccination efforts.

The final nationwide vaccination campaign of the year began on Monday, aiming to vaccinate approximately 44 million children across the country.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif launched the campaign by administering polio drops to children in Islamabad.

A network of 400,000 polio workers will visit homes in 143 districts to vaccinate children under five, according to Ayesha Raza Farooq, the Prime Minister’s Focal Person on Polio Eradication.

In Sindh, the anti-polio campaign is running from December 18 to 22, targeting 16 million children.

The provincial Health Department has deployed 80,000 frontline workers, supported by 15,000 security personnel, to ensure the safety and success of the immunization drive.

Parents have been urged to cooperate fully with the vaccination teams during this critical campaign.