Pakistan has reported two new polio cases, raising the total number of cases in the country to 39 for the year, health authorities announced on Sunday. The latest cases, detected in Sindh province, come from the districts of Sanghar and Mirpurkhas, further complicating the nation’s efforts to eliminate the crippling disease.
The Dawn newspaper reported that the two new victims, a girl and a boy, were confirmed by the Regional Reference Laboratory for Polio Eradication in Islamabad on Saturday. These are the first cases from the Sanghar and Mirpurkhas districts this year. Health officials had already confirmed the presence of the wild poliovirus (WPV1) in the region through environmental samples collected since April. This has raised concerns about the virus’s spread in these areas, which had previously tested positive in wastewater, signaling the presence of the virus in the community.
This latest development comes just a day after four new cases were reported, underscoring the challenge Pakistan faces in eradicating polio. So far, the country has reported 39 polio cases in 2024, with 20 of them occurring in Balochistan, 12 in Sindh, five in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and one each in Punjab and Islamabad. The cases highlight how widespread the virus remains across the nation.
Prime Minister’s Focal Person for Polio Eradication, Ayesha Raza Farooq, acknowledged the seriousness of the situation, admitting that the virus continues to circulate in various parts of the country. However, she emphasized that the government is committed to its eradication strategy, aiming to wipe out polio by June 2025. Farooq pointed out that a comprehensive plan is in place to tackle the virus, which includes multiple vaccination campaigns aimed at protecting children under the age of five.
The Pakistan Polio Programme is set to launch a new nationwide immunization campaign beginning on October 28. The goal is to vaccinate over 45 million children under the age of five in an effort to halt the spread of the virus. These campaigns are crucial, as the poliovirus primarily affects children, leading to lifelong paralysis or even death in some cases.
Despite concerted efforts, Pakistan, along with Afghanistan, remains one of the last countries where polio is still endemic, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). The persistence of the virus in these two nations has been a global health concern, as the rest of the world has largely eliminated the disease. Both countries have faced significant obstacles in their fight against polio, including geographical challenges, inadequate healthcare infrastructure, and resistance to vaccination campaigns in some areas.
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In Pakistan, efforts to eradicate polio have been met with difficulties due to misinformation, mistrust of vaccines, and security issues, particularly in more remote or conflict-prone areas. Polio workers have faced resistance from certain communities, with unfounded rumors about vaccines leading to reluctance or refusal to participate in immunization campaigns. In some cases, health workers have even been targeted or attacked by militant groups opposed to the vaccination efforts.
Despite these challenges, the Pakistani government, along with international health organizations, continues to push forward with aggressive vaccination campaigns, education programs, and surveillance efforts to detect and respond to new cases. The eradication of polio in Pakistan would mark a significant milestone for global public health, as it would bring the world closer to the complete elimination of the disease.
The presence of poliovirus in environmental samples, as seen in the recent cases from Sindh, is a reminder that the fight against polio requires constant vigilance. Pakistan’s polio eradication program is focused on stopping transmission in the remaining hotspots, improving vaccination coverage, and addressing the barriers that continue to hinder progress.
With 2025 set as the target for eradication, much work remains to be done. However, with sustained efforts and international support, the possibility of a polio-free Pakistan is still within reach. The upcoming vaccination campaigns will be critical in determining whether the country can finally overcome the virus and protect future generations from this preventable disease.
