Priyanka
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Islamabad: While India successfully eradicated polio years ago, the virus continues to pose a serious health threat in Pakistan. Recently, Pakistani health officials confirmed new cases of polio in the Sindh and Punjab provinces, marking a setback in the country’s ongoing efforts to eliminate the disease.
According to a report by Geo News, the latest cases were detected in Qambar district of Sindh and Mandi Bahauddin district of Punjab. With these new cases, the total number of polio infections reported in Pakistan this year has risen to five. The National Institute of Health’s (NIH) Regional Reference Laboratory for Polio Eradication confirmed that this is the third case in Sindh and the first in Punjab for the year.
74 Cases Reported in 2024
Pakistan reported a total of 74 polio cases in 2024. The breakdown includes:
- Balochistan – 27 cases
- Khyber Pakhtunkhwa – 22 cases
- Sindh – 23 cases
- Punjab & Islamabad – 1 case each
Polio is a debilitating disease that causes paralysis and has no cure. The only effective prevention is vaccination. Multiple doses of the oral polio vaccine, along with routine immunization programs, are essential in building strong immunity among children under the age of five.
Pakistan continues to conduct nationwide polio vaccination campaigns, delivering door-to-door immunizations. Additionally, the Expanded Immunization Program (EPI) offers free vaccinations against 12 childhood diseases at healthcare facilities. Despite these efforts, challenges such as vaccine hesitancy, misinformation, and logistical hurdles remain significant obstacles in completely eradicating the virus.
As neighboring India remains polio-free since 2014, Pakistan faces the urgent need to strengthen its vaccination drives to protect future generations from this preventable disease.
