ISLAMABAD: The National Emergency Polio Centre (NEPC) announced on Thursday that three new polio cases have been detected in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

According to a statement issued by the NEPC, the cases confirmed by the Polio Virology Laboratory had been found in Bannu, Lakki Marwat and Torghar areas.

The statement said a 21-month-old girl from Takhtikhel Union Council, 49-month-old girl from Sarae Naurang and a 10-month-old boy from Hernai Union Council had been infected with the virus.

Talking to Dawn, Prime Minister’s Focal Person on Polio Babar bin Atta said the total number of polio cases might top 50 this year. He, however, claimed that after November this year, things might start getting better and next year there would be a huge reduction in the number of polio cases.

“The only way to eradicate the virus of the crippling disease is to administer polio drops to every child. We want to eradicate the virus but unfortunately this cannot be done if people refuse to vaccinate their children. “Parents of the child in Bannu said their child was vaccinated, but our record shows that they had even refused Inactivated Polio Vaccine (IPV), which is administered through injection. However, the fact is that there is less resistance against injections as compared to Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV). I can surely say that the child had not been administered the OPV,” he said.

“Similarly parents of the child in Lakki Marwat had refused to let their daughter be vaccinated and in Torghar too residents of the area had refused to get their children vaccinated. We, therefore, appeal to parents not to decline the vaccination of their children because that is the only way to protect their children from the disease.”

Meanwhile, the Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) has expressed concern over the rising number of polio cases in the country.

“It is distressing to know that just during the first half of this year, 27 cases have been reported (Punjab 3, Sindh 3, KP 14, KP tribal districts 7), PMA Secretary General Dr Qaisar Sajjad said.

“There are only two countries in the world where polio cases are being reported: Pakistan and Afghanistan. Pakistan is also under a polio-linked travel restriction imposed by the WHO. In 2014, the WHO made it mandatory for all people travelling from Pakistan to carry a polio vaccination certificate. If we still do not feel our responsibility then more cases will be reported and we will have to suffer more sanctions from the international community, which will be disgraceful for all Pakistanis,” he said.

Published in Dawn, June 21st, 2019