Syed Ali Shah:
Balochistan has reported its 27th polio case of 2024, bringing Pakistan’s total to 65. The latest case, confirmed by the Regional Reference Laboratory for Polio Eradication at the National Institute of Health on December 24, is from Killa Abdullah, which has now recorded seven cases this year.
The 65 cases reported this year include 27 from Balochistan, 18 each from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Sindh, and one each from Punjab and Islamabad. Polio, a life-threatening disease with no cure, can only be prevented through multiple doses of the oral polio vaccine and routine immunizations.
To combat the resurgence of polio, Balochistan will launch its December sub-national vaccination campaign on December 30, targeting all 36 districts in the province. The Pakistan Polio Program continues its door-to-door vaccination drives alongside the Expanded Programme on Immunization, which provides free vaccinations against 12 childhood diseases at health facilities.
Parents are urged to vaccinate all children under five to ensure their protection against polio and help eradicate this preventable disease from Balochistan and Pakistan.
