Islamabad, September 06, 2024 – The 17th polio case of the year has been reported from Islamabad where a child has been paralyzed by wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1).

According to the Regional Reference Laboratory for Polio at the National Institute of Health, wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) was detected in a child from Union Council Rural 4 of Islamabad.

This is the first human case reported from Islamabad in 16 years, while environmental samples from the federal capital and neighboring Rawalpindi district have been positive for WPV1 since June, underscoring the persistent threat of polio to children’s well-being.     

“It is incredibly heartbreaking that another Pakistan child has been affected by a disease that has no cure but is entirely preventable with the help of an easily accessible vaccine,” said Prime Minister’s Focal Person for Polio Eradication Ms Ayesha Raza Farooq.

She added that in view of the intense outbreak of poliovirus in the country, the Polio Programme has held in-depth consultative sessions with the provinces and districts to implement plans to improve all aspects of polio eradication activities, starting from a polio campaign beginning next week.

“From September 9 onwards, polio teams will go house-to-house in 115 districts to vaccinate more than 33 million children under five,” she said. “This virus does not discriminate. Wherever it finds a child with weak immunity, it will attack. Parents must understand the urgency of ensuring that their children receive polio drops and are up to date on their routine immunization.”    

Muhammad Anwarul Haq, Coordinator of the National Emergency Operations Centre for Polio Eradication, said the Polio Programme is launching this targeted vaccination campaign from September 9, particularly in districts where the virus has been detected and where the risk of continued transmission and spread is really high.

“We’re ramping up efforts to reach every child with polio vaccines, including in Islamabad. We have a collective responsibility to protect the health and wellbeing of our children from crippling diseases such as polio.”

He reiterated that unfortunately, parents have not always welcomed and opened their doors to the vaccinators when they visit their homes. “I encourage all parents and caregivers to make sure your children are not missed when the vaccinators visit your house next week.”

This is the 17th polio case of the year from Pakistan. Earlier, 12 cases were reported from Balochistan, three from Sindh and one from Punjab.

Note for Editor:

Polio is a highly infectious disease caused by poliovirus mainly affecting children under the age of five years. It invades the nervous system and can cause paralysis or even death. While there is no cure for polio, vaccination is the most effective way to protect children from this crippling disease. Each time a child under the age of five is vaccinated, their protection against the virus is increased. Repeated immunisations have protected millions of children from polio, allowing almost all countries in the world to become polio-free. Pakistan and Afghanistan are the only two remaining polio endemic countries globally.  

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