ISLAMABAD: Polio­vir­­us has reached two new districts, Dukki and Killa Saifullah, taking the tally for current year to 44 districts.

An embarrassing situation continues for the country as only a day ago it reported that the virus had been found in samples taken from Bahawalpur and Dera Ismail Khan districts.

Besides, four environmental samples for polio have been reported due to which the number of samples, for the current year, has climbed to 172 as compared to 126 samples from 28 districts in 2023.

The Regional Reference Laboratory for Polio Era­dication at the National Institute of Health confirmed the detection of Type-1 Wild Poliovirus in Dukki and Killa Saifullah, said a lab official on condition of anonymity.

“This brings the total count of infected districts for the year 2024 to 44,” he said, adding, “The districts from where positive samples have been repor­ted are Dukki, Killa Saif­ullah, Sibi and Swabi.”

It may be recalled that Sibi and Swabi are already listed as the infected districts.

“If virus is found in the sewage water, the sample is called positive. It is basic parameter to determine the quality of the polio campaigns as it shows that a number of children are being missed out or there are refusals [to vaccination],” he said.

The official blamed poor performance on part of the partners-led programme during the last two seasons of 2022-23 and 2023-24 for the wide immunity gap favouring the virus spread.

According to the Pakistan Polio Programme, it has already conducted four polio vaccination campaigns and is currently conducting a fifth campaign of the year, which is underway in 69 districts since June 3, ahead of the high-travel season of Eid, to vaccinate over 17.1 million children under the age of five in 37 districts as well as select areas of 32 other districts.

Published in Dawn, June 6th, 2024