Islamabad, October 02, 2024 – Two more children have been paralyzed by wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) in Pakistan, underscoring the expanding public health threat of polio and the urgency for all parents and caregivers to ensure vaccination for their children.

According to the Regional Reference Laboratory at the National Institute of Health, a female child from Zhob district of Balochistan and a male child from Tank district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) have been affected, taking the number of total cases in 2024 to 28. 

This is the second case from Zhob, where a child was affected by polio earlier in July, and the first case from Tank. The virus has been found in sewage samples from both districts previously, indicating continued polio transmission and risk to children’s health.

Prime Minister’s Focal Person for Polio Eradication Ms Ayesha Raza Farooq appealed to parents, caregivers and families across Pakistan to get their children vaccinated immediately to protect them from the paralyzing effects of a poliovirus infection.

“The government brings the polio vaccine directly to your doorsteps multiple times a year. Every knock on your door by the polio workers brings hope for a healthier future for your children. Please cooperate with them and bring your children forward for vaccination,” she said, adding that the next nationwide polio campaign is beginning from October 28 to fight back against the expanding public health risk to children across Pakistan.    

Coordinator of the National Emergency Operations Center for Polio Eradication Mr Muhammad Anwarul Haq said that consistent polio campaign implementation in Balochistan and southern KP has been challenging for the Programme since last year due to factors such as lack of access to vulnerable children, security issues, vaccine hesitancy and community boycotts. 

“Access challenges leave a cohort of unvaccinated children who have low immunity to fight off a polio infection. The Polio Programme is working closely with both provincial governments to increase vaccination coverage rates, build trust in communities and provide integrated health service delivery for better health outcomes,” he said.

The Prime Minister’s Focal Person and NEOC Coordinator visited Peshawar on Tuesday and met with Chief Secretary Mr Nadeem Aslam Chaudhry and senior officials to review progress of the September polio campaign and take steps to plug the gaps identified to ensure better campaign quality for the upcoming national drive starting on October 28.  

Discussions were also held to ensure optimal coverage during the ‘Big Catch-Up,’ an initiative currently underway in KP and Balochistan to vaccinate all under-five children eligible and/or missed for routine vaccinations against 12 childhood diseases, including polio. 

Note for Editor:

Polio is a highly infectious disease caused by poliovirus mainly affecting children under the age of five years. It invades the nervous system and can cause paralysis or even death. While there is no cure for polio, vaccination is the most effective way to protect children from this crippling disease. Each time a child under the age of five is vaccinated, their protection against the virus is increased. Repeated immunisations have protected millions of children from polio, allowing almost all countries in the world to become polio-free, except for the two endemic countries of Pakistan and Afghanistan.

For further information, please contact: Ms Hania Naeem, Communications Officer, NEOC,

Contact No:+923431101988 – Email: hanianaim17@gmail.com