LAHORE, Sept 28: Inadequate anti-polio campaigns are responsible for emergence of a number of fresh cases in Punjab, maintain officials of the health department.

The total number of victims of this disease has increased to 64 this year across the country, which has shaken the health authorities to the core, and raised serious questions about the efficacy of the preventive drives in this respect.

Twenty-six children have been tested positive for poliomyelitis in the NWFP and Fata, 16 in Sindh, 14 in Punjab, six in Balochistan and two in Islamabad.

"Only two anti-polio drives were launched during the last two years in Punjab, which may be one of the main reasons behind the emergence of the disease," a senior officer of the department told Dawn on Sunday.

He said since there was hardly a polio case surfaced during the last two years or so in Punjab, the authorities concerned here got satisfied that they had succeeded in 'almost' eliminating the disease and a campaign a year would be enough.