Pakistan has reported its 40th polio case of 2024, with a two-and-a-half-year-old child from Dara Adamkhel, Kohat, in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa confirmed to be affected by Type-I poliovirus. This marks the second polio case in Kohat this year, as reported by ARY News, citing sources from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Earlier this month, another child from the same district was diagnosed with the virus.
Polio virus presence in the region has been further confirmed with four sewage samples taken from Kohat testing positive for poliovirus, underscoring the ongoing threat of the disease in the area.
Pakistan’s 40th Polio Case in 2024
The latest case from Kohat brings the total number of polio cases in Pakistan to 40 this year. Just recently, on October 19, two new cases were reported from the districts of Sanghar and Mirpurkhas in Sindh province. This increasing number of cases highlights the urgent need for continued immunization efforts.
Nationwide Polio Vaccination Drive
In response to the growing number of polio cases, Pakistan is set to launch a nationwide polio vaccination drive starting on October 25. This extensive campaign aims to immunize over 4.5 million children across the country.
The vaccination drive will be carried out in three phases:
- First phase: Starting from October 25, this phase will focus on the Sindh province.
- Second phase: Beginning on October 28, it will cover Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
- Third phase: Set to start on November 11, this phase will target Punjab, Balochistan, and Islamabad.
Polio Vaccination Targets
The campaign has set ambitious targets to vaccinate millions of children across Pakistan, including:
- 2.3 million children in Punjab
- 1.6 million children in Sindh
- 730,000 children in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
- 265,000 children in Balochistan
- 461,125 children in Islamabad
- 740,000 children in Azad Kashmir
- 281,232 children in Gilgit-Baltistan
Importance of Vaccination
Polio remains a critical public health concern in Pakistan, with efforts to eliminate the virus being hindered by various challenges. This nationwide vaccination drive is crucial in preventing further spread of the virus and protecting the country’s children from this life-threatening disease.
With 40 cases already reported this year, authorities are urging parents to ensure their children are vaccinated to safeguard against the poliovirus and support the global efforts to eradicate the disease.
