ISLAMABAD - Pakistan Polio Laboratory in Islamabad on Friday confirmed that an 18-month child was paralyzed by wild polio in Lakki Marwat.
The child had onset of paralysis on 20 June and was suffering from disabilities in both lower limbs. This is the thirteenth case in Pakistan this year. All children paralyzed in Pakistan this year belong to southern Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KP), where 12 cases are from North Waziristan alone.
“The virus remains contained in the districts at highest risk. To interrupt virus transmission in southern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, we have started giving injectable vaccines due to higher acceptance of this form of immunization, as well as offering hygiene products such as soaps to prevent the spread of all germs,” said Minister for Health Abdul Qadir Patel. “We have successfully managed to prevent the virus from spreading elsewhere despite the frequent movement of people between KP and other parts of the country. If we can contain and eliminate the virus from this area, we can win the fight against polio,” said Federal Health Secretary Dr. Fakhre Alam Irfan.
“We are continuously reassessing our strategies to ensure we reach more children. Vaccine acceptance has increased in KP since we initiated some emergency measures for the highest-risk districts. We will continue to amplify our efforts until we eradicate the virus,” said National Emergency Operations Coordinator Dr. Shahzad Baig.
