Pakistan has reported four additional polio cases, raising the total for 2024 to 63, as per the National Emergency Operations Centre (EOC). The new cases were confirmed in Dera Ismail Khan, Tank, Jacobabad, and Sukkur. This marks the first polio case reported in Sukkur this year.
According to the EOC, Dera Ismail Khan has now recorded nine cases in total, while Jacobabad has reported three. The case in Sukkur involves a young boy, highlighting the geographic spread of the virus.
Read more: Polio Claims Another Life In Pakistan
In 2024, polio cases have been distributed across the provinces, with Balochistan accounting for 26 cases, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 18, Sindh 17, and one each in Punjab and Islamabad. The statistics underscore the challenges in eradicating polio from certain regions.
Over 60% of children impacted by polio this year had missed routine immunization, leading health authorities to establish a high-level committee to enhance coordination. This body aims to bridge efforts between the Polio Eradication Initiative (PEI) and the Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI).
The committee, led by Dr. Malik Muhtar Ahmed Barath, Prime Minister’s Coordinator for Health Services, includes provincial health officials and representatives from global organizations like WHO, UNICEF, CDC, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, focusing on accelerating immunization efforts nationwide.
