Khyber Pakhtunkhwa reports first polio case of 2024

PESHAWAR: A nine-month-old girl has been diagnosed with polio in the Safi Tehsil of Mohmand district, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, ARY News reported.

The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Health Department confirmed that the first polio case was reported in the province in 2024, taking Pakistan’s toll to 20 this year

According to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Health Department, the affected baby had only received 2 polio doses.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur ordered the suspension of the relevant District Health Officer (DHO) and EPI Coordinator over their ‘negligence’

Earlier on September 18, Pakistan  reported another polio case as a two-year-old Quetta boy has been confirmed to be infected with the virus, ARY News reported citing the National Emergency Operation Centre (NEOC) for polio sources.

According to NEOC sources, this is the 18th polio case that has been reported in Pakistan so far this year out of which 14 emerged from Balochistan alone.

NECO Focal Person Dr. Ayesha Raza Farooq said that polio vaccination campaigns faced disruptions in certain areas of Balochistan, creating an opportunity for the virus to spread.

She stressed the importance of ensuring multiple doses of the vaccine reach every child, urging that it is crucial for eradication efforts.

The National Institute of Health (NIH) in its report presented in the National Assembly revealed that a total of 45 polio cases have been reported across Pakistan over the past four years.

In 2021, only one polio case was reported, while the number surged to 20 in 2022, the written statement of the NIH read.

During 2023, eight new cases of polio were recorded, followed by 16 cases in 2024, as confirmed by the Ministry of Health.

In 2022, $180 million were allocated for the National Polio Eradication Program, while in 2023, the budget increased to $187 million. For the ongoing year 2024, the program has been allocated $80 million.