Pakistan Reports Three New Polio Cases, Raising 2024 Total to 59
Polio, which causes irreversible paralysis in children and remains incurable, continues to threaten public health in Pakistan.
Pakistan’s polio eradication efforts faced a setback this week with the announcement of three new polio cases, bringing the country’s total to 59 for 2024.
The new cases were confirmed in DI Khan, Karachi Keamari, and Kashmore, marking an alarming rise in the number of reported infections.
Despite being one of the last two countries still fighting polio alongside Afghanistan, Pakistan’s campaign to eradicate the virus is facing growing challenges.
The country has witnessed a troubling spike in cases this year, prompting health officials to reevaluate their strategies.
The National Emergency Operation Center for Polio Eradication (NEOC) confirmed the detection of three wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) cases, with DI Khan now reporting eight cases, Karachi Keamari having three, and Kashmore marking its first polio case of the year.
These areas are located in some of Pakistan’s most affected provinces, with Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), Sindh, and the federal capital of Islamabad also contributing to the national count.
As part of efforts to curb the outbreak, Pakistan is preparing for a national vaccination campaign in mid-December, aiming to vaccinate over 44 million children across the country.
However, concerns about vaccine refusals have grown, with an estimated 500,000 children having missed immunization during a recent nationwide drive.
Polio, which causes irreversible paralysis in children and remains incurable, continues to threaten public health in Pakistan.
Despite substantial progress over the years, with the number of cases falling from 20,000 annually in the early 1990s to just six in 2023, the disease remains endemic in the region.
Ongoing challenges, including misinformation about vaccines, opposition from some religious groups, and attacks on vaccination teams by militants, have hindered eradication efforts.
Moreover, factors like maternal illiteracy, low parental vaccine awareness, and poverty continue to impact vaccination rates in rural areas.
Pakistan’s battle against polio is at a critical juncture, and the coming months will be crucial in determining whether the country can achieve its goal of eradicating the disease once and for all.