• The Regional Reference Laboratory for Polio Eradication at the National Institute of Health Islamabad has confirmed the detection of 47th Wild Poliovirus Type-1 (WPV1) case in Pakistan.
  • On 8 November 2024, the lab confirmed the detection of WPV1 in a male child from Ghotki district of Sindh.
  • Ghotki is located in central Pakistan and borders districts like Sukkur, Rahim Yar Khan and Shikarpur where the virus has been reported earlier this year.
  • This is thefirst polio case from Ghotki and 47th case from Pakistan at large this year. So far, 23 cases have been reported from Balochistan, 13from Sindh, nine from KP and one each from Punjab and Islamabad.
  • Genetic sequencing of the samples collected from the child is under process.
  • The oral polio vaccine is essential to keep children protected from disability from a polio infection. The Polio Programme brings the oral polio vaccine to citizens’ doorsteps multiple times a year, while the Expanded Programme for Immunization provides vaccines against 12 childhood diseases at your nearest health centers free of charge.
  • We urge parents across the country to ensure multiple doses of the oral polio vaccine for all children under five in their care and ensure that their routine vaccination doses are also complete.