ISLAMABAD: Another child has been paralysed by polio in the Zhob district of Balochistan, bringing this year’s total number of polio cases to nine.

Also, sewage samples from one new district, Hangu, and six previously infected districts have tested positive for wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1). With the latest addition, the number of districts where poliovirus has been found in the environment samples has jumped to 51.

This development comes shortly after Pakistan’s health team participated in the Independent Monitoring Board meeting in Geneva, where they assured that all possible steps would be taken to eradicate the virus.

According to the National Institu­­te of Health, wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) was detected in the samples collected from an 18-month-old child in the Hassan Zai union council of Zhob district. The affected child developed weakness in their legs, and subsequent testing of samples collected from them were positive for WPV1. Genetic sequencing of the isolated virus is currently underway.

Hangu added to list of districts with positive environmental samples

Coordinator to the Prime Minister on National Health Services Dr Malik Mukhtar Ahmed Bharath said poliovirus has now affected nine children, seven of them in Balochistan alone.

“The resurgence of poliovirus in this region is highly concerning and the government is focusing on implementing high quality polio vaccination campaigns and improving routine vaccination rates to boost children’s immunity,” he added.

PM’s focal person on polio eradication Ayesha Raza said the virus has been found in over 50 districts, making it a constant threat for children, particularly those with weak immunity due to missing vaccination. “Polio has no cure, the only way to protect children is through repeated doses of the oral polio vaccine,” she said, urging parents to vaccinate all children under the age of five against polio.

“This is the ninth polio case of the year from Pakistan, seventh from Balochistan and first from Zhob in over four years,” she said.

Mohammad Anwarul Haq, coordinator of the National Emergency Operations Centre for Polio Eradication, said the polio programme was focused on finding populations that may have been missed in polio campaigns and making sure that they received the protective vaccine. “We have already conducted six polio campaigns this year and are continuing to implement strategies to keep children protected,” he said.

Also, the regional reference laboratory for polio eradication at the National Institute of Health notified that environmental samples collected from Hangu, Karachi’s Keamari area, Chaman, Pishin, Hyderabad, Jamshoro and Lahore contained WPV1.

All positive samples are genetically linked to the YB3A genetic cluster of WPV1, which has been detected in all positive cases and sewage samples reported this year.

Just this week a delegation from Pakistan at a meeting of the independent board meeting of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) assured that the Pakistan Polio Programme was determined to deal with the reemergence of wild poliovirus in the country and was implementing a comprehensive plan to interrupt poliovirus transmission.

The meeting held in Geneva from July 15-19 reviewed global polio eradication progress, including progress in polio-endemic countries, Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Published in Dawn, July 21st, 2024