New Polio Case Reported in Sindh

News Desk 

Islamabad:  The National Institute of Health (NIH) has confirmed a new polio case in District Thatta, Sindh. This marks the fourth polio case from Sindh and the sixth nationwide in Pakistan this year.

In 2024, Pakistan reported a total of 74 polio cases, with 27 from Balochistan, 23 from Sindh, 22 from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and one each from Punjab and Islamabad.

Polio is a paralyzing disease with no cure. Ensuring multiple doses of the oral polio vaccine and completing the routine immunization schedule for children under five is crucial for building strong immunity against the virus.

To combat polio, the Polio Eradication Programme is implementing an intensive vaccination schedule. The first nationwide campaign of 2025 vaccinated over 45 million children earlier this month.

Additionally, a focused fIPV-OPV campaign was conducted in Quetta Division and Karachi from February 20-28, immunizing approximately 0.9 million children with injectable and oral vaccines for added protection.

This effort aligns with the Big Catch-Up initiative, implemented nationwide by the Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI), to vaccinate missed or under-immunized children against 12 preventable childhood diseases.

Moreover, a targeted vaccination drive was carried out this week in 104 union councils near the Afghanistan border and in areas with Afghan refugee populations. Over 0.6 million children were vaccinated to mitigate the risk of cross-border and internal poliovirus transmission.

The Polio Eradication Programme has urged all parents to vaccinate their children at every opportunity to protect them from this devastating disease.