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Pakistan has reported two new cases of polio, with the latest victims identified in Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. This brings the total number of polio cases in the country to 48 for the year.
On November 8, 2024, the Regional Reference Laboratory for Polio Eradication at the National Institute of Health Islamabad confirmed two new cases of Wild Poliovirus Type-1 (WPV1) in Pakistan.
The first case was reported in a male child from Ghotki district in Sindh, marking the 47th polio case of the year in Pakistan. Ghotki, which borders districts like Sukkur, Rahim Yar Khan, and Shikarpur, has not had a reported polio case before this, making this the first case from the district.
The second case, also confirmed on November 8, was from DI Khan district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. DI Khan is a polio-endemic area in southern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and this marks the third polio case reported from the district this year, bringing the total number of cases in Pakistan to 48 for 2024.
Genetic sequencing of the samples collected from both children is currently underway. Authorities continue to emphasize the importance of the oral polio vaccine to protect children from polio-related disability.
The Polio Programme delivers the vaccine directly to citizens’ doorsteps multiple times a year, while the Expanded Programme for Immunization offers vaccines against other childhood diseases at health centers free of charge.
