Pakistan’s Ongoing Battle Against Polio
New Case in Jaffarabad, Balochistan
On Friday, Pakistan reported its 49th polio case of the year, detected in Jaffarabad, Balochistan. This marks the first confirmed polio infection in the district, highlighting the virus’s continued spread across the country. Health authorities traced the virus to a WPV1 strain previously identified in Pishin, Balochistan, in April. Balochistan remains the hardest-hit area with 24 cases, followed by Sindh with 13, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) with 10, and one each from Punjab and Islamabad.
Last week, a case was reported in KP’s Dera Ismail Khan district, and Sindh’s Ghotki district recorded its first case of the year. The Regional Reference Laboratory for Polio Eradication at the National Institute of Health (NIH) in Islamabad confirmed these infections. Pakistan is one of only two countries where wild poliovirus transmission has not been eradicated, facing challenges like insecurity, misinformation, and community resistance that hinder vaccination efforts.
Polio is a serious illness that invades the nervous system, causing paralysis or even death. While there is no cure, immunisation remains the most effective defense against the virus.
Doubts Revealed
Polio -: Polio is a disease caused by a virus that can make people very sick. It can cause paralysis, which means you can’t move parts of your body, and sometimes it can even lead to death.
Jaffarabad -: Jaffarabad is a district in the province of Balochistan, which is a part of Pakistan. It’s like a big area with many towns and villages.
Balochistan -: Balochistan is one of the four provinces in Pakistan. It’s a large area with deserts and mountains, and it’s known for its unique culture and traditions.
WPV1 strain -: WPV1 stands for Wild Poliovirus type 1. It’s a type of the polio virus that is still spreading in some parts of the world, like Pakistan.
Sindh, KP, Punjab, Islamabad -: These are different regions in Pakistan. Sindh, KP (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), and Punjab are provinces, while Islamabad is the capital city of Pakistan.
Insecurity and misinformation -: Insecurity means that people feel unsafe because of things like violence or conflict. Misinformation is when people believe things that are not true, which can make it hard to solve problems like stopping polio.
Immunisation -: Immunisation is when people get a vaccine to protect them from getting sick. For polio, getting vaccinated can stop the virus from making you sick.
