Polio resurfaces in Sindh: Fourth case reported in Jacobabad district

KARACHI: Despite numerous anti-polio drives, Pakistan has reported its 64th case of wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) this year, with the latest case emerging from Jacobabad district in Sindh.

This marks the fourth reported case in Jacobabad this year, bringing Sindh’s total to 18. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has recorded 18 cases, while Balochistan remains the most affected province with 26 cases. Islamabad and Punjab have reported one case each so far in 2024.

With the polls spread, a mass immunization campaign was launched this week aimed at vaccinating 44 million children against the disease. The campaign was inaugurated by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who administered polio drops to children in Islamabad and urged parents to cooperate fully with all vaccination teams.

The anti-polio campaign commenced in Sindh on Monday for seven days, targeting 16 million children through the 22nd of December. Over 80,000 frontline workers, backed by 15,000 security personnel, are expected to go from door to door to administer the drops and ensure their safety.

According to the Pakistan Polio Eradication Programme, polio is a “paralytic disease without cure.” They insisted that immunization to the utmost ‘high immunity’ levels must be routinely done in every single child below the age of five.

The programme reiterated and said that every new case was a child with a name, a face, and a life that may forever be altered by the crippling impact of polio. It breaks one’s heart to see these new cases emerge, particularly in areas where the virus continues to