ISLAMABAD: The Regional Reference Laboratory for Polio Eradication at the National Institute of Health (NIH) has confirmed the detection of wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) in sewage samples from 14 districts previously identified as high-risk areas for polio transmission.
According to an official from the laboratory, sewage samples collected from Dera Bugti, Quetta, Nasirabad, Usta Muhammad, Bajaur, Tank, Multan, Bahawalpur, Okara, Rahim Yar Khan, Dera Ghazi Khan, Gujranwala, Gujrat, and Islamabad tested positive for the poliovirus.
The official further stated that 59 polio cases have been reported this year, marking a worrying resurgence of the virus that puts children across the country at risk of contracting the debilitating disease. Polio remains incurable but can be entirely prevented through multiple doses of the oral polio vaccine, which the Polio Programme administers to children throughout the year.
In addition to polio vaccination, routine immunization against 12 other childhood preventable diseases, provided by the Expanded Programme for Immunisation, offers an extra layer of protection against infections, including polio.
To combat the resurgence, the Polio Programme is set to launch a sub-national vaccination campaign on December 16, targeting over 44.7 million children under the age of five. Parents and caregivers are urged to ensure that their children receive two drops of the oral polio vaccine whenever a vaccinator visits their doorstep to safeguard them from the paralytic effects of polio.
