Pakistan has reported another polio case in 2024, raising the total to 33 this year. A child from Quetta has been diagnosed with the virus, with symptoms first appearing on August 22. The city has recorded three polio cases, and 37 sewerage samples have tested positive for the virus.
In the Quetta block, 11 polio cases and 65 positive sewerage samples have also been reported. Balochistan is the most affected province, accounting for 17 of the total cases this year. Other regions include Sindh with 10 cases, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa with four, and one case each from Islamabad and Punjab.
Read more: Pakistan reports its 14th case of poliovirus in Balochistan
On September 5, the National Institute of Health (NIH) provided detailed statistics on polio cases in Pakistan during a session in the National Assembly. Over the past four years, a total of 45 polio cases have been reported nationwide, with only one case in 2021, which increased to 20 in 2022 and eight in 2023.
The National Polio Eradication Program has received significant funding, with $180 million allocated in 2022 and an increased budget of $187 million in 2023. For the current year, 2024, the program has a budget of $80 million. Since January 2022, a total of $447 million has been spent on efforts to eradicate polio, highlighting the government’s commitment to eliminating the disease from Pakistan.
