Three more polio cases surface in Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Eradication of poliovirus in the country seems a distant dream as three more polio cases surfaced on Sunday, taking the tally of such cases across the country to 76 this year, ARY News reported.

According to the Health Ministry, the two cases of polio were reported from Lakki Marwat area of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), while the other polio case was reported in Balochistan.

The tally of polio cases has reached up to 76 this year in Pakistan, said health ministry.

Earlier on October 5, three cases of polio were reported in Pakistan. One each case was reported from Sindh, Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

A 17-month old child, resident of Orangi Town’s Union Council (UC-2), was diagnosed with the crippling disease.

Sharing details about the latest case, the ECO said the child developed a fever and slight weakness in her right leg.  She was taken to doctors for a check-up where the case was classified as acute flaccid paralysis (AFP).

She is the eighth polio victim in Sindh, according to the Emergency Operation Centre (EOC) for Polio. The total number of crippling disease cases in the city has reached four.

Last week, the government decided to launch an effective sensitization campaign for parents at the federal level to ensure the immunization of their children during every anti-polio vaccination drive.

Read More: Mass vaccinations begin after polio returns

According to official sources, the decision was made keeping in view the increasing number of polio cases that were being reported throughout the country particularly from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The sources said that under the plan, public awareness will be created through media on all government advertisements to educate the people on the prevention of their children from the crippling disease.