KARACHI: The polio Eradication Initiative confirmed three more cases of Wild Polio Virus 1 (WPV1) in the country including two from Mirpurkhas and one from Swabi in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, announcing that the number of polio cases has now crossed 101 with 73 polio cases in KP followed by 16 in the Sindh province. The new additions in the number of rising victims of the crippling disease, which turns lethal in some cases too, has questioned the efficacy of the countrywide vaccination campaign.
The Emergency Operation Centre for Polio in Sindh on Saturday announced two new polio cases from the district Mirpurkhas where two children of three and six years of age were crippled by the polio virus. One of the victim is a 3-year old child Rehan s/o Abdul Qadir from village Islamuddin, UC Mir Khuda Bux, Taluka Digri, Mirpurkhas who contracted polio on Nov 17.
An official of the EOC Sindh quoted the parents as saying the child had received seven doses of polio vaccine during the campaigns, while the health officials could only confirm two immunization doses from the vaccination card. Interestingly, the doctors were confident that "the child would not suffer from disability as his legs and spine were not affected but has slight weakness in the facial muscles."
The second case involved 6-year old Irfan Chakar, who hails from Siyal Colony, UC 5, Mirpurkhas and he contracted the polio virus on Nov 20.
Here also the Polio Eradication officials quoted the parents as telling that the child had received seven doses of the vaccine in addition to three more during the routine immunization but even then the child contracted the life crippling disease. He however said investigations are underway as to how many doses were actually given. "Both the legs of the child were initially affected by the virus," but the officials hoped he will not suffer from any permanent disability.
An official of the Emergency Operation Centre for Polio said Sindh has 16 new polio cases in 2019 of which 6 are from Karachi, 2 from Hyderabad, 2 from Larkana, 2 from Jamshoro, 2 from Mirpurkhas, one each from Shahed Benazirabad and Sajawal.
The Emergency Operation Centre for Polio in Sindh strongly encourages parents to vaccinate their children in the upcoming polio campaign as it has become clear that if the oral polio vaccine is not administered, the virus will thrive and paralyze children.
“New campaigns are starting from 16th December which will continue until June so we can reverse this trend,” a spokesman for EOC Sindh announced.
There was a similar sad news from the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa where a 6-month old child in Tehsil Topi, UC Batakara of District Swabi contracted the polio virus. The infection proved fatal and the child died due to paralysis of his limbs and the muscles that help in breathing, the officials said. With the latest polio case from the KP, the number of confirmed polio cases in the KP rose to 73 and 101 in entire Pakistan,officials said.