Pakistan polio death toll rises to 67 with two new cases

The toll of the polio virus in Pakistan this year rose to 67 after two more children were diagnosed with the crippling disease on Thursday.

Of the two new cases reported, one was reported in Tank district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, taking the number of cases this year in the province to 19.

While the other case was reported in Sindh’s Kashmore district, taking the province’s tally to 19.

Balochistan has reported the most cases – 27 – in 2024, with Islamabad and Punjab reporting one child with the crippling disease.

Pakistan is one of two polio-endemic countries in the world, along with Afghanistan, and the number of annual cases had declined significantly in the country until the recent surge in cases.

The Pakistan Polio Eradication Program explains that polio is a “paralyzing” disease with no “cure” and “completion of routine vaccination for all children under the age of five” simply gives them “high immunity against this terrible disease”.

The country has launched multiple vaccination drives, including one that began last week, with the goal of vaccinating about 44 million children across the country.

According to the Prime Minister’s Focal Person on Polio Eradication Ayesha Raza Farooq, about 400,000 polio workers in 143 districts of the country will visit every household to administer polio drops to children under the age of five.

However, the country’s rigorous efforts to eradicate polio face significant challenges, particularly in areas where insecurity, misinformation and parental refusals hinder vaccination campaigns.

With more than 60% of children infected with polio in 2024 not receiving routine immunization, health authorities have established a high-level committee to improve coordination between the Polio Eradication Initiative (PEI) and the Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI). .