Pakistan’s poliovirus count for 2024 rose to 68 as the country on Monday reported another case at the end of the year.
The latest case of the crippling disease was reported in DI Khan in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, taking the total number of cases reported in the district this year to 10, the National Emergency Operations Center (NEOC) said in a statement.
Of the 68 polio cases reported, 27 are from Balochistan, the worst affected, 20 from KP and 19 from Sindh.
Punjab and Islamabad have reported one case each of the disease in 2024.
Pakistan’s Polio Eradication Program explained that polio is a “crippling” disease that has “no cure” and that “completion of routine vaccination for all children under five years of age” only provides them with “high immunity.” against this terrible disease.
The rise in numbers comes after a seven-day polio vaccination campaign began on Monday in Balochistan, the province worst affected by the devastating disease.
As many as 11,600 teams will participate in the vaccination campaign, according to the Emergency Operations Center’s vaccination campaign, and officials said more than 2.6 million children up to five years of age will receive polio drops.
Besides, safety measures have also been taken along with anti-polio kits, COE officials said.
Balochistan EOC Coordinator Inamul-Haq has urged parents, media and citizens to play their role in making the anti-polio campaign a success.
Pakistan is one of two polio-endemic countries in the world, along with Afghanistan, and the number of annual cases had decreased significantly in the country, until the recent rise in cases.
