ISLAMABAD: Wild poliovirus has again been detected in a sewage sample from the Hangu district of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province.
The National Institute of Health’s Pakistan Polio Laboratory reports that a May 9 environmental sample from the Civil Hospital, Jani Chowk site contained wild poliovirus type 1.
Earlier in April, a sample collected from the same site had also tested positive for a crippling virus. The detected poliovirus belongs to a virus cluster circulating in Nangarhar, Afghanistan.
In a press release on Friday, Abdul Qadir Patel, Federal Health Minister, said, “The presence of crippling poliovirus in the environment means the health of children is at risk, and parents must ensure to protect their children through vaccination.”
He added, “We should not forget that polio has no cure and only the vaccine can give lifelong protection. A vaccination drive is underway in several districts of KP, and I request all parents, particularly in Hangu, to ensure their children receive polio drops.”
Dr. Shahzad Baig, Coordinator of the National Emergency Operations Centre for Polio Eradication, said that the Pakistan Polio Eradication Program was continuously on the hunt to detect the virus, and these detections show its efficiency.
He said, “Our Polio Program is well-prepared to stop poliovirus on its way wherever we detect it. This detection would help the Program identify under-immunized populations and plan vaccination responses accordingly to boost immunity.”
Since May 22, a subnational vaccination campaign to protect children under five against paralytic polio has been ongoing in 22 districts of KP, including Hangu. The campaign will go till May 26.
Only one human case and seven environmental samples tested positive for wild poliovirus in Pakistan in 2023. — APP
