Polio persists

Earlier this month, Pakistan confirmed its 74th case of the wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) in 2024. Out of three poliovirus variations, wild polio types 2 and 3 have been completely eradicated from the world while wild polio type 1 exists only in Pakistan and Afghanistan. It is gravely dismaying that Pakistan is still having to deal with never-ending cases of the poliovirus, despite repeated countrywide vaccination attempts. Most of the cases have been recorded in the Shikarpur district of Sindh, while Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa only has 1 reported case. The Health Department of Sindh needs to take stricter measures to ensure the safety of its residents and make polio vaccinations easily accessible throughout the country.

SADIA RAUF

TURBAT