ISLAMABAD: Pakistani authorities said on Saturday that the number of polio cases has risen to at least 24 this year, as local authorities urged parents to vaccinate their children against the virus.
In 2024, thousands of health workers participated in nationwide vaccination campaigns aimed at protecting millions of children under the age of five. However, the recent increase in polio cases marks the highest number recorded since 2021.
Earlier this month, the first polio case was reported in Islamabad in 16 years, with the latest case emerging from Sindh province.
Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah emphasized the urgent need for collective action, stating, “Vaccinate your children to protect them from disability. There is an urgent need for collective action to eradicate the crippling disease of polio. Every time a new polio case is reported, it causes severe distress.”
Nofil Naqvi, spokesperson for the Emergency Operations Center in Sindh, pointed out that the continued spread of the virus is largely due to unvaccinated children. “If every child is vaccinated, it will stop,” Naqvi said.
He added that the health department is implementing changes in operations and communication strategies to combat misinformation and increase vaccination uptake.
Polio is a highly contagious disease that can lead to paralysis and even death. Although there is no cure, vaccination remains the most effective preventive measure. Since the introduction of vaccines in 1955, global polio cases have dropped by over 99.9 percent.
Pakistan launched its Polio Eradication Program in 1994, following a peak of around 20,000 reported cases in the early 1990s. While the country has made significant progress in reducing polio cases over the past three decades, ongoing challenges remain.
Misinformation, attacks on vaccination teams, and disruptions from natural disasters, such as the devastating floods that have affected the region, continue to hinder efforts to eliminate the virus completely.
