Poliovirus paralyses another child in Pakistan

• Another case of poliovirus has been detected in South Waziristan.
• So far, poliovirus has crippled 19 children in Pakistan this year.
• Out of 19, 16 polio cases were reported in North Waziristan alone.

ISLAMABAD: A six-month-old boy from South Waziristan was left paralysed by wild poliovirus, taking the total number of infections in the country to 19 this year, The News reported Friday.

The ill-fated infant belongs to village Paryatt in Union Council Manthoi in South Waziristan. The child suffered the onset of paralysis on August 22, the Pakistan Polio Laboratory at the National Institute of Health confirmed on Thursday.

So far this year, 19 children have been paralysed by wild poliovirus in Pakistan, with two children from Lakki Marwat, 16 children from North Waziristan, and one child from South Waziristan. 

This is the first case from South Waziristan this year. Prior to this, a child was paralysed in the district in June 2020.

Controlling the outbreak in southern KP remains the focus of the Pakistan Polio Programme. 

Among the new measures taken to control the outbreak, the health ministry is offering injectable vaccines that have greater community acceptance, soap for vaccinated children, and strengthening disease surveillance in these areas.

“The humanitarian crisis in wake of the floods poses graver challenges to polio eradication efforts as we grapple with the displacement of millions of people," said Federal Health Minister Qadir Patel.

"This mass displacement will lead to the spread of wild poliovirus making it even more important to vaccinate children against polio," the health minister added.