Pakistan reported three new cases of polio on Saturday, with one case each emerging from Balochistan, Sindh, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, according to the National Polio Emergency Center. In Balochistan, a child in the Qila Abdullah area was diagnosed with the virus, while another case was confirmed in a child from Karachi's Kemari area. The third case was detected in a child residing in Mohmand district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The Anti-Polio Laboratory confirmed that all three children were infected with wild poliovirus type 1. These new cases bring the total number of polio cases in Pakistan this year to 21. Ayesha Raza Farooq, the prime minister's focal person for anti-polio efforts, expressed deep concern over the latest cases. She urged parents to ensure their children are vaccinated, stressing that immunization is crucial to preventing further spread of the virus.

"The government is more determined than ever to eradicate polio from Pakistan," Farooq stated, reiterating the government's commitment to protecting future generations from the disease. Earlier this month, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had launched a special anti-polio campaign to completely eradicate polio from the country. He had inaugurated the campaign across 115 districts nationwide, aiming to vaccinate 30 million children under the age of five. Under the seven-day anti-polio drive, around 286,000 polio workers were meant to go door-to-door to administer anti-polio drops to children. Addressing the inaugural ceremony in Islamabad, Prime Minister Sharif hoped the federal government, in collaboration with provincial governments and partners, would succeed in completely eradicating polio from the country. The PM expressed the confidence that polio eradication efforts will bear fruit.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan