New Polio case reported in Sindh

KARACHI: A polio case has been reported from Tehseel Kotri, District Jamshoro, Sindh, as confirmed by the Emergency Operation Centre (EOC) for Polio in Sindh.

A 31-month-old boy, Jamsheed, son of Usman, is the seventh polio victim from Sindh in 2019. Other affected districts include Hyderabad with two cases of polio, Larkana with one case, and Karachi with three polio cases, which were reported earlier this year.

Details state that the child was feeling alright when he developed fever and chest congestion on 22^nd August. On 23^rd August, the child met with an unfortunate road accident after being hit by a water tanker while playing on the road. Following the accident, the child became irritable and was unable to move legs. He was taken to a nearby hospital, where he was treated.

As the condition of the child did not improve, he was further referred to the Ziauddin Hospital in Karachi, where he was suspected of AFP. Upon testing, it was established the child has polio with reduced reflexes in both lower limbs.

Polio eradication has faced difficulties in 2019 with the total case count now standing at 69, with 52 cases from KP and KPTD, 7 cases from Sindh, 5 cases from Baluchistan, and 5 cases from Punjab.

"The child had a routine dose of polio vaccination which we are verifying, and it is being investigated how many campaign doses were received. We are now going to have aggressive campaigns from November to June, and we aim to not only stop polio cases but instead eradicate polio from the environment. We will ensure we turn the tide,” said the spokesperson for the EOC in Sindh.

"We will provide OPV to communities at their doorsteps. We appeal to parents that they must also help us by not only accepting the vaccine but also ensuring that their children's routine immunization is complete by taking them to any government EPI centre, these vaccines are completely free of cost," he added.