RAWALPINDI: A poliovirus was found for the second time in a month in Rawalpindi district during a sewage sampling carried out by the World Health Organisation (WHO).

According to an official of the District Health Authority, the poliovirus was found in a sample collected from a nullah at Safdarabad near Pirwadhai. The area is located in the middle of Rawalpindi and Islamabad.

He said the sewage sample from Safdardabad was collected on August 10 and the virus was stated to be genetically linked to YB3A cluster, which is active in Nangarhar, Afghanistan.

Last month, environmental samples collected from Serai Kala in Taxila had also tested positive for poliovirus. Serai Kala, a union council of Taxila tehsil located on Peshawar Road, is frequently used by travellers from the northern corridor, extending to Afghanistan.

The virus detected there was also linked to the same cluster. The lab confirmed that the virus detected in the sample was genetically linked to the cluster in Kandahar.

Punjab plans polio vaccination campaign in Rawalpindi, Lahore from Sept 4

Although Punjab has been polio-free since 2020, intermittent positive environment samples from major cities have shown that the province was at risk of importation.

Punjab is planning a new campaign in both Rawalpindi and Lahore from September 4 to respond to the positive environmental samples in both cities.

The official said environment sampling in Rawalpindi city was conducted at Safdarbad and Dhoke Dalal every month. He said both areas were near Pirwadhai where mostly migrants from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and ex-Fata resided.

After detection of the poliovirus in the sewage sample in Rawalpindi, a five-day anti-polio drive will start from September 4 to cover 800,000 children across the district.

The primary and secondary healthcare department had asked the District Health Authority to ensure the administration of anti-polio vaccine to all children.

Caretaker minister Dr Jamal Nasir said anti-polio vaccination would not affect the ongoing drive against dengue in the district.

He directed the government officials to work for the national cause to save the children and in this regard, no negligence will be tolerated.

Officials added that the district health department had made all arrangements and the drive will continue for five days and will be extended to two more days to cover missing children.

They said the district administration had directed the assistant commissioners to supervise the drive so that each and every child is administered anti-polio drops.

Meanwhile, Fatima Jinnah Women University (FJWU) students reiterated their support for polio eradication efforts, urging parents to vaccinate their children in every campaign to protect them from lifelong disability.

They were talking to parents during a visit to the Attock Khurd transit site which is located at the crossing boundary with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 25 kilometres from the Attock city centre.

The students interacted with polio teams and counselled parents who showed reluctance to vaccinate their children. The students said after poliovirus detection in sewage samples in Rawalpindi, children were at a heightened risk of the crippling disease.

Published in Dawn, September 2nd, 2023