ISLAMABAD: Pakis­tan has reported its 56th polio case of the year, with the latest detection in Dera Ismail Khan. The National Institute of Health confirmed the case as wild poliovirus type 1.

According to an NIH official, the new case involves a 27-month-old boy from Union Council Morgan in Darazinda tehsil of DI Khan.

“The area has faced suboptimal routine immunisation coverage and significant challenges in conducting effective door-to-door campaigns over the past few years,” he said.

The latest case is the seventh reported from DI Khan this year, suggesting an intense outbreak in southern Khyber Pakhtun­khwa. The virus has been detected in both sewage samples and human cases, with the latest strain linked to ongoing circulation in Kandahar, Afghanistan.

Of the 56 cases reported this year, Balo­chistan leads with 26 cases, followed by KP with 15, Sindh with 13, and one case each in Punjab and Islamabad.

“The resurgence of polio since last year, which has intensified in 2024, highlights a widespread immunity gap across three provinces,” the official stated. This gap has been attributed to disruptions in immunisation efforts over the past two years.

In response, the country has conducted two large-scale vaccination campaigns in September and late October. A sub-national campaign is also planned from Dec 16, with coordinated efforts underway within Pakistan and across the border with Afghanistan.

Published in Dawn, November 28th, 2024