Pakistan reported a fresh case of poliovirus in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Dera Ismail Khan, taking the total number of cases this year to 56, said the health department on Wednesday.
A 27-month-old child was diagnosed with poliovirus in DI Khan’s Drazanda tehsil. A total of seven children have been affected in the district.
According to the officials, several children have been crippled by the virus as the “perilous security situation” affecting the anti-polio drive in southern part of the province.
Meanwhile, the department said that this was the 15th polio case reported in KP.
Last week, two cases of poliovirus were reported in Balochistan while another was reported in KP.
Balochistan has reported the highest number of poliovirus cases in 2024 followed by KP. Sindh has reported 13 cases, whereas Punjab and Islamabad have each reported one case of polio this year.
The fresh cases come as Pakistan remains one of the last two countries in the world where the wild poliovirus continues to spread.
This persistence is largely attributed to obstacles such as insecurity, misinformation, and community reluctance, which hinder vaccination efforts.
The highly contagious viral disease predominantly affects children under five, particularly those with weak immunity or inadequate vaccination.
Health authorities have time and again underscored the importance of vaccination campaigns to curb the spread of this preventable disease, which remains a significant public health challenge in the country.
POB calls for intensified vaccination
Meanwhile, the increasing cases of the crippling disease have prompted the Polio Oversight Board (POB) to emphasise the need to intensify routine immunisation (RI) efforts in Balochistan and south KP, The News reported on Sunday.
During a recent visit to the country from November 20 to 22, the board underscored the significance of ensuring consistent access to vulnerable children and achieving complete eradication of polio from the country.
