On Friday, Pakistan reported a new polio case, bringing the year’s total to 14. The latest victim is a 20-month-old girl from Qila Saifullah in Balochistan, the province that has seen 11 of the cases this year.
The announcement came as Bill Gates, co-chair of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, joined a high-level meeting via video link. The meeting, chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in Karachi, focused on assessing and enhancing the country’s polio eradication efforts.
In addition to Gates, Chris Elias, the Foundation’s head of the Polio Oversight Board, participated in the virtual discussion. The meeting also included Dr Malik Mukhtar Ahmed Bharath, the Prime Minister’s Coordinator on Health; Ayesha Raza Farooq, the PM’s Focal Person on Polio; as well as representatives from the Sindh government, chief secretaries, police officials, and partners from WHO, UNICEF, CDC, BMGF, and the Rotary Foundation.
Prime Minister Sharif expressed deep concern over the rising number of polio cases, emphasizing the need for a vigorous nationwide response. “We cannot leave our children at the mercy of the crippling poliovirus. We must address this surge with utmost urgency,” Sharif stated. He also praised Gates for his steadfast support and commitment to global polio eradication efforts.
Gates acknowledged the Pakistani government’s dedication to the cause and commended the leadership of the polio eradication program for their efforts during this challenging period. He noted that while there are ongoing challenges, vaccination teams have been working diligently to reach every child. Gates expressed hope that continued efforts would curb poliovirus transmission in the coming months.
Ayesha Raza Farooq provided a detailed update on the virus situation, noting that the outbreak is primarily driven by persistent circulation in key areas such as Karachi, Quetta, and Peshawar. Farooq highlighted that the virus has affected 14 children this year and has been detected in over 50 districts across the country.
Farooq emphasized the importance of the next four months for reversing the outbreak. She outlined plans for three high-quality vaccination rounds to be completed by December, supported by integrated service delivery in affected areas.
Following the national overview, provincial chief secretaries reported on their respective actions in alignment with the national polio eradication strategy. Dr Bharath assured the provinces of full support in their efforts to eradicate the virus.
The National Institute of Health’s Regional Reference Laboratory confirmed that the latest case involved Type-1 Wild Poliovirus (WPV1). This case marks the first detection of the virus in Qila Saifullah this year. Genetic sequencing is underway to determine the virus’s origin.
