The ongoing battle against polio in Pakistan faces a new setback as two additional cases of wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) have been confirmed in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Dera Ismail Khan and Lakki Marwat districts. This brings the total number of reported cases across the country to 45 for the year.
The Regional Reference Laboratory for Polio Eradication in Islamabad confirmed the new infections, involving a 34-month-old girl in Lakki Marwat and a two-year-old child in Dera Ismail Khan. Genetic sequencing of the samples is currently underway to assess the virus’s characteristics.
These reports come amid a nationwide vaccination campaign aimed at immunizing over 45 million children under the age of five. Notably, both Dera Ismail Khan and Lakki Marwat had previously recorded one case each, with environmental samples from these areas testing positive for the virus, indicating ongoing circulation.
As the situation escalates, the federal and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa governments are collaborating to develop a joint strategy for the eradication of poliovirus. The virus has been detected in 76 districts across all four provinces and Azad Jammu and Kashmir, highlighting a widespread risk to children’s health.
Recent testing of environmental samples has also revealed the presence of the poliovirus in two new districts, Noshki in Balochistan and Mianwali in Punjab, which had previously been unaffected. Experts emphasize that monitoring sewage water samples is crucial for determining the success of vaccination efforts. The detection of the virus in sewage indicates a decrease in local children’s immunity levels, exposing them to potential infection.
The public health community continues to urge immediate and effective action to curb the spread of polio and protect vulnerable populations across the nation.
