The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa reported the highest number of polio cases in 2019, as out of a total of 135 cases, 91 were traced from the province, with 31 of those recorded only from Lakki Marwat, a very small district with a population of around one million only.
According to the documents available with Daily Times, a total of 135 polio cases were confirmed during 2019, with 91 cases in KP, followed by 25 in Sindh, 11 in Balochistan and eight in Punjab. Some 26 cases were reported in Bannu, another district in KP, followed by eight in North Waziristan.
The documents stated that Punjab showed comparatively better results regarding the virus, as only eight cases were reported from the province despite having the largest population in the country.
Besides these 135 polio cases, according to an official of the Ministry of National Health Services, another case has been reported from Sindh province’s Thatta district. The official said a three-year old boy’s upper and lower limbs of left side have been paralysed due to the disease.
While talking about the new case, Coordinator for National Emergency Operation Centre (EOC) for Polio Dr Rana Safdar told this scribe that the polio program team is investigating the matter and will compile a comprehensive report in the regard till Monday (today).
While explaining the reasons for highest ratio in KP, he said multiple factors are involved in this. “Firstly, the polio campaign remained not as good in 2019 as it should be. Moreover, the health services in these districts are either not good or not accessible,” he said, adding that most of the people rely on traditional ways of treatment which create more health complications.
Dr Safdar claimed that under the polio program, the government has started fighting back through immunisation campaigns. Areas with recent detections are being further targeted in a special response round to be started from January 13, he said, adding that two nationwide campaigns with another targeted case response will be launched in February and April.
According to the website of the polio programme, the number of reported polio cases in 2019 is much more than that in the previous years as compared to 135 cases in 2019, only 12 cases were detected in 2018 and eight in 2017.
Polio is a highly infectious disease caused by poliovirus mainly affecting children under the age of five. 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, his 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. Currently, there are only two countries in the world – Pakistan and Afghanistan – where polio cases are being reported. Pakistan remains under a polio-linked travel restriction imposed by the World Health Organisation due to which every person travelling abroad has to carry a polio vaccination certificate.
