Daily Times

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday expressed concern over the emergence of new polio cases as he vowed to eradicate the disease from Pakistan by 2025 and instructed authorities to ensure the vaccine is administered to children in areas where inoculation drives have been targeted by militants.

Polio is a highly infectious disease that affects children under the age of five by invading their nervous system, leading to paralysis or even death, with Pakistan and Afghanistan remaining the only countries in the world where it is still endemic.

Pakistan has reported 14 cases this year, creating significant concern among local health authorities and foreign donors working to eradicate the disease. Polio vaccination efforts in Pakistan have been hampered by various factors, including parental refusal in remote areas and the targeting of polio teams in militancy-infested regions.

The new case surfaced on Friday as a 20-month-old boy was confirmed to be infected with the virus, sources within NIH said.

The sources said that the affected child belonged to the Kila Saifullah district of Balochistan.

The child is affected with Wild Polio Virus Type 1 and he showed polio symptoms on July 22. The National Institute of Health sources said that the genetic relationship of the polio virus in the affected child is being investigated.

The prime minister chaired a meeting in Karachi, which was also attended via video link by Bill Gates of the Gates Foundation and Dr. Chris Elias of Global Development, to review the overall situation.

“The prime minister stressed the goal of completely eradicating the virus by 2025 and directed that all state resources be utilized to achieve this, ensuring that every child in Pakistan receives multiple doses of the polio vaccine, especially in security-challenged areas,” said a statement circulated by his office.

“He noted the concern over new polio cases but expressed confidence that, with the cooperation of provincial governments and partners, the disease could be defeated,” it added.

The prime minister reiterated Pakistan’s resolve to eliminate polio and thanked the Gates Foundation for its support, particularly in the health care sector.

He also expressed gratitude to other governmental partners involved in the polio eradication efforts, emphasizing a whole-of-government approach.

The meeting was briefed on the current polio strategy, with reports of recent polio cases in Qila Abdullah in Balochistan and Chakwal in Punjab province.

It also discussed the improvement in monitoring systems for polio eradication and the positive progress in coordination between Pakistan and Afghanistan.

The Pakistani government officials also highlighted their plan to launch nationwide polio vaccination campaigns in September, October and December this year.