Three new cases of polio were reported in Pakistan. This brings the total number of active cases in the country to 55. The country’s massive and unending struggle to eradicate polio continues as the Regional Reference Laboratory for Polio Eradication at the National Institutes of Health has confirmed the detection of the wild poliovirus type, officials said. 1 (WPV1) in three districts, including Dera Ismail Khan, Zhob and Jaffrabad.

Dera Ismail Khan is a district in the country’s north-western Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province where six cases of polio have been reported this year. Meanwhile, three and two cases have been reported in the south-western districts of Zhob and Jaffrabad, respectively, the statement said.

Pakistan and neighboring Afghanistan are the only two countries in the world where polio is still endemic.

Crisis-hit areas including Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have in the past seen rejection of polio vaccination campaigns and even deaths of health workers. The World Health Organization has warned that the latest cases in Pakistan are an alarming sign that children in many districts are at grave risk.

Even though the Pakistan polio program claims to conduct several mass vaccination campaigns from January 2024, many analysts have questioned the government’s continued failure to handle the spread of the virus.

Polio, also known as poliomyelitis, is a condition that usually affects children under the age of 5. It is a highly contagious disease caused by a virus. The virus attacks the nervous system causing paralysis within a few hours.

There is no cure for polio and the condition can only be prevented by vaccination. Polio vaccine given several times can help keep a child protected throughout his life.

symptoms of polio

There are different types of polio and symptoms vary depending on the type of condition.

abortion polio

• Fever
• Headache
• muscle pain
• sore throat
• stomach pain
• loss of appetite
• nausea
• vomit

nonparalytic polio

• neck pain or stiffness
• pain or stiffness in arms or legs
• severe headache
• stiffness in the spine and neck
• decreased alertness
• muscle weakness

paralytic polio

• severe pain
• extreme sensitivity to touch
• tingling or pricking sensation
• muscle spasm or twitching
• Muscle weakness turns into limping paralysis

Depending on the severity of the disease, other signs or symptoms may include:

• paralysis of muscles involved in breathing
• difficulty swallowing.

polio prevention

Polio can be prevented only by vaccination.

Two vaccines are available; Oral polio vaccine and inactivated polio vaccine. There are different types of polio vaccines, inactivated polio vaccine (IPV) and oral polio vaccine (OPV). IPV is the only polio vaccine offered in the United States since 2000. OPV is used in other countries.

Both are effective and safe and both are used in different combinations around the world to ensure that the best possible protection is provided to the population.

In India, OPV has been used exclusively since 1978, however, IPV has recently been added to India’s national immunization schedule. OPV is also continuing.

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