Polio cripples another child in Pakistan, bringing tally to 46

• This is second polio case reported from Qila Saifullah in 2024.
• Pakistan one of only two polio endemic countries in world. 
• Misinformation about vaccine major obstacle in polio eradication.
  

ISLAMABAD: The number of children affected by polio in Pakistan has risen to 46, with the latest case reported in Balochistan’s Qila Saifullah district.

Authorities confirmed that a months-old child had been diagnosed with the virus, marking the 23rd polio case in Balochistan this year.

This is the second polio case reported from Qila Saifullah in 2024.

Officials further report that environmental samples from 76 districts across the country have tested positive for the virus, underscoring its spread nationwide.

Pakistan is one of the only two countries in the world, alongside Afghanistan, where polio remains endemic.

Since its launch in 1994, the country’s polio eradication programme has largely contained the virus by holding frequent vaccination drives. The country was close to completely wiping out the disease until this year as only six cases had been reported in 2023. 

However, the experts point to misinformation about the polio vaccine as a significant obstacle to eradication efforts.

The southwestern province has emerged as an area of intense polio transmission this year as 23 of the 41 cases in the country. Apart from Balochistan, Sindh has reported 12 cases, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa nine, while Punjab and Islamabad have recorded one case each.

Polio is a highly infectious disease caused by a virus mainly affecting children under the age of five years, who are malnourished or have weak immunity because of being under-vaccinated or not vaccinated for polio and other childhood diseases.

The illness invades the nervous system and causes paralysis or even death. While there is no cure for polio, vaccination is the most effective way to protect children from this crippling disease.

Pakistan’s rigorous efforts towards polio eradication face significant challenges, particularly in areas where insecurity, misinformation, and parental refusals hinder vaccination campaigns.