Polio cases toll climbs to 144 in Pakistan

KARACHI: The Emergency Operation Centre (EOC) for Polio in Sindh recently confirmed two new polio cases for the year of 2019, one from Jacobabad and the other from Mirpurkhas taking the total case toll for Sindh to 30 and Pakistan to 144 for 2019.

Spokesperson, EOC Sindh, noted that a five-year-old male child had been affected by polio in Jaccobabad after reporting with weakness in his right lower limb. According to the child’s parents, he had received seven doses of OPV (Oral Poliovirus Vaccines).

Similarly, in Mirpurkhas, a four-year-old male child was the most recent victim of the poliovirus. The child reported with weakness in his right upper and lower limb and neck muscles. His parents also claimed that he had received OPV on multiple occasions. The investigation into the matter was currently ongoing.

The Official from EOC said that the National EOC and Sindh EOC have started to fight back to get polio eradication back on track to reverse this trend. The first step was the successful December NID, followed by a case response in January. Another campaign would be conducted in February.

Efforts from December to April would bridge the immunity gap that could lead to a significant decrease in the intensity of virus transmission in the second half of 2020.

The current risk to our children was very real, and while it was our job to deliver these vaccines at the doorstep, caregivers must also step up and protect their children through vaccinations.

The National EOC and Sindh EOC urged parents to ensure immunization of their children both in the routine as well as special campaigns planned by the program in the next few months.

-MN Report