Anti-polio drive begins in KP, Balochistan tomorrow

A five-day anti-polio drive in 23 districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan to begin tomorrow (Monday).

More than three point five million children up to five years of age will be administered anti-polio drops during the anti-polio drive.

Eighteen thousand and three hundred teams have been constituted which will visit door to door in these districts to administer polio drops to each and every child.

Meanwhile, seven day anti–polio drive will begin in 14 Districts of Balochistan on Monday.

Coordinator Emergency Operation Center Balochistan Syed Zahid Shah said due to expected heatwave in Nasirabad, Sibi, Jaffar Abad, Ustha Muhammad, Dera Bugti and Sohbatpur the anti-polio drive will begin on 8th June.

He said during the drive, more than 1.8 million children up to five years of age would be administered anti-polio drops.

Read more: Pakistan Polio Eradication Program chief Dr Shahzad Baig ‘resigns’

Pakistan on Saturday reported the fourth poliovirus case of the current year, sources within the Ministry of National Health said.

A 2-year-old boy from Bharkan union council in Sindh’s Shikarpur district became the latest victim.

The health department official said the virus was detected in stool samples collected from a child, adding that he had developed symptoms of paralysis on May 21.

This is the fourth case of crippling disease in 2024 as Pakistan had earlier reported three cases. All of the previous three cases reported this year were from Balochistan.