KARACHI: The Emergency Operation Centre for Polio in Sindh has announced that two polio cases have been reported from the province, both from the city of Hyderabad which takes the total count for Sindh in 2019 to five.
Out of these five cases, two are from Karachi, one from Larkana and two from Hyderabad. The total case count in the country is now 58.
An official of the EOC Sindh Sunday said the dreaded polio virus has effected two children in Hyderabad, including a baby girl of 12 months of age who is a resident of Quetta town in District Hyderabad.
According to her mother, the child Memoona Habibullah had a history of vomiting and diarrhea since days.
On July 20, the parents noticed weakness in both lower limbs that worsened to an extent that child was not able to stand.
On July 23 during case response in Hyderabad, a polio team notified the child with both of the lower limbs effected as an AFP case.
It may be noted that the child had received no routine immunization and was low on immunity.
The other case that came afloat was of a resident of Chungi Lal, District Hyderabad.
According to the mother of the child, on August 5, after returning from school, the child Rubab Fatima complained of ache in both lower limbs. Her mother massaged both lower limbs and noticed that child is unable to stand and walk.
On August 6, the parents brought the child to SG Hospital Shah Bhittai Latifabad Hyderabad, where the child was notified as an AFP case and was subsequently tested for polio.
The child was reported to be weak in both lower limbs but because of routine immunization doses may be saved from complete paralysis.
A spokesperson for the Emergency Operation Centre for Polio in Sindh deplored that the polio program was badly effected by rumors on social and mainstream media and occurrences such as the Peshawar incident in April which had set the program back.
However, communities now must understand that if children are not repeatedly vaccinated, the virus is likely to return and spread. It is with great effort that polio cases were bought down to a handful but now the virus is spreading because of community fatigue and resistance.
He appealed to parents to cooperate with polio teams and save the children of Pakistan from this virus.
“A case response activity will now be conducted in 6 districts (144 UCs) of Larkana and Hyderabad Divisions of Sindh targeting 1,011,553 children aged 0-59 months from 26th – 29th Aug 2019 and this is a golden opportunity to turn the tide,” he said.