The Regional Reference Laboratory for Polio Eradication at the National Institute of Health (NIH), Islamabad on Monday confirmed the detection of the 68th wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) case of 2024 from the country.

The Laboratory confirmed the case from DI Khan. This is the 10th polio case from DI Khan this year. Pakistan is responding to the resurgence of WPV1 this year with 68 cases reported so far.

Of these, 27 are from Balochistan, 20 from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), 19 from Sindh, and one each from Punjab and Islamabad. Polio is a paralyzing disease that has no cure.

Multiple doses of the oral polio vaccine and completion of the routine vaccination schedule for all children under the age of five is essential to provide children high immunity against this terrible disease.

The Pakistan Polio Program conducts multiple mass vaccination drives in a year, bringing the vaccine to children at their doorsteps, while the Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) provides vaccinations against 12 childhood disease free of charge at health facilities.

It is crucial for parents to ensure vaccination for all their children under the age of five to keep them protected. A sub-national Polio vaccination campaign was conducted across Punjab, Sindh, KP, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Gilgit Baltistan, and Islamabad from December 16 -22 vaccinating over 42 million children.

The second phase of the campaign started on Monday in Balochistan. To keep children safe, it is critical for parents to welcome vaccinators among them and bring their children forward for vaccination.