Pakistan reported three new polio cases on Saturday, with one each identified in Balochistan, Sindh, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, according to the National Polio Emergency Center.
In Balochistan, a child from Qila Abdullah tested positive for the virus, while another case was confirmed in Kemari, Karachi. The third case involved a child from the Mohmand district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The Anti-Polio Laboratory confirmed that all three children were infected with wild poliovirus type 1, raising the total number of polio cases in Pakistan to 21 this year.
Ayesha Raza Farooq, the prime minister’s focal person for polio eradication, expressed deep concern over the new cases. She urged parents to vaccinate their children, emphasizing that immunization is critical in preventing the virus’s spread.
“The government is more committed than ever to eradicating polio in Pakistan,” Farooq stated, reaffirming the government’s dedication to protecting future generations from the disease.
Earlier this month, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif launched a nationwide anti-polio campaign aimed at eradicating the virus. The initiative, spanning 115 districts, seeks to vaccinate 30 million children under five.
During the seven-day campaign, around 286,000 polio workers were tasked with administering vaccines door-to-door. At the campaign’s inauguration in Islamabad, Prime Minister Sharif expressed optimism that with the collaboration of the federal and provincial governments and their partners, Pakistan will succeed in eliminating polio.
The prime minister voiced confidence that these efforts will lead to the complete eradication of polio in the country.
