Second polio case reported in North Waziristan
- By Web Desk -
- Apr 29, 2022
A second polio case has been reported in Pakistan as a two-year-old girl was found affected by the virus in North Waziristan, ARY News reported on Friday.
The spokesperson of the health ministry confirmed the detection of the second polio case in 2022. The health ministry expressed concerns over the detection of more poliovirus cases in the country.
Health Minister Abdul Qadir Patel said that the health and life of each child are precious. He added that the federal government is taking effective steps on an emergency basis to eradicate polio.
Abdul Qadir Patel appealed to the parents to mandatory administer anti-polio drops to their children during the immunisation drive.
Earlier on April 22, the NEOC Coordinator Dr Shahzad Baig had confirmed that a poliovirus case was reported in Pakistan after 15 months which is the third polio case in 2022 globally.
Pakistan national polio laboratory has confirmed that the new polio case was detected in North Waziristan, whereas, the last poliovirus case had been reported back on January 27, 2021, from Killa Abdullah – Balochistan.
The polio laboratory had also confirmed the detection of positive environmental samples collected from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) earlier in the month.
The government is organising special campaigns on an emergency basis to completely eliminate the poliovirus.
A two-day anti-polio drive had also been started in the Bannu and North Waziristan districts of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province on April 28.
Dr Shahzad Baig, the Coordinator of the National Emergency Operations Centre for Pakistan Polio Eradication Programme (NEOC), had said that ‘a 15-month-old boy has been paralyzed in North Waziristan, Southern KP, as #Pakistan confirms a wild #poliovirus case after nearly 15 months.’
He had said, “This highly infectious virus affects the most vulnerable amongst us, children under five, causing lifelong paralysis or death. No child in the world should have to suffer like this, especially from a virus that is preventable.”