Tag: polio virus

  • Risk of another poliovirus outbreak

    Risk of another poliovirus outbreak

    More evidence of poliovirus was found in five samples in Peshawar and Karachi and so, the chances of a poliovirus outbreak in the country have now increased.

    According to the Ministry of Health, polio virus found in the five samples in Karachi are genetically linked to the virus in Afghanistan. Whereas, the genetic testing of the virus found in the positive sample from Peshawar is ongoing.

    Previously, five Union Councils of Karachi have been declared at high risk of polio virus.Other places of detection include Hangu and Pishin.

    Earlier this week, Egyptian authorities made it mandatory for travellers from Pakistan, Afghanistan, and other countries to provide a polio vaccination certificate.“

    As informed by the Egyptian Authorities, passengers travelling to Egypt from Pakistan, Afghanistan, Malawi, Mozambique and Congo are requested to provide an international certificate of vaccination specifically polio vaccine, OPV or IPV (both are acceptable),” Pakistan’s Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) said in an advisory on its website on Monday.

    Additionally, last month, the International Health Regulations (2005) Emergency Committee as well as the World Health Organisation (WHO) expressed concerns over Pakistan’s efforts in eliminating polio virus.

  • Confirmation of polio virus in various cities

    Once again, the presence of polio virus has been confirmed in samples collected from different cities across Pakistan.

    According to officials, two samples from Hangu city of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and one from Karachi have tested positive for polio.

    These samples were taken from Hangu Civil Hospital and Jani Chowk.

    Reportedly, the polio virus found in Hangu is genetically similar to the virus found in Rawalpindi.

    Similarly, other samples were taken from the Kemari area of Karachi.

    Overall, 27 samples in Pakistan have tested positive for polio virus so far.

    A seven-day anti-polio campaign in Karachi will start from October 2.

    More than 2.6 lakh children will get the vaccine, while children between the ages of 6 months and 5 years will also be given vitamin A.

    During the anti-polio campaign, 3,500 personnel will be on duty.

  • Poliovirus in Afghanistan poses a threat to Pakistan

    The International Health Regulations’ Emergency Committee has expressed concern over the increasing number of polio cases in Afghanistan which also pose a threat to Pakistan because of constant travel between the two countries.

    The Polio Emergency Committee issued a statement on Friday stating that there is still a risk of poliovirus spreading worldwide considering the “cross-border spread into Pakistan” from the eastern Afghan border.

    According to the committee, five new wild poliovirus cases were reported in Nangarhar province of Afghanistan. There were 32 positive environmental samples this year so far in the eastern region except for one site in Kandahar in the southern region and one from Balkh in the north.

    During the committee meeting summoned by the director general of World Health Organisation on August 16, it was stated that one new case of wild poliovirus was reported in Pakistan since May, total cases being two in 2023. Both the cases were reported from Bannu district.

    According to the committee statement, there have been 15 environmental surveillance positive samples in 2023. And while action plan in southern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has resulted in 160,000 more children being vaccinated, it remain a challenge nonetheless due to “political instability, insecurity in some areas, with front line workers requiring police patrols to accompany them, and vaccination boycotts where communities make demands for other services in exchange for allowing polio vaccination”.

  • Shehbaz Sharif, Bill Gates discuss anti-polio campaign

    Shehbaz Sharif, Bill Gates discuss anti-polio campaign

    Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif and Co-Chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) Bill Gates held talks on the phone and discussed the anti-polio campaign in Pakistan.

    In a telephonic conversation, the premier appreciated the valuable support of the BMGF to Pakistan in polio eradication and improving immunisation, nutrition, and financial inclusion in the country.

    Expressing grave concern about the recent increase in the number of confirmed poliovirus cases in Pakistan in 2022, Shehbaz stressed that his government remained committed to ending all forms of polio in the country.

    Gates reiterated the Foundation’s continued support to Pakistan for ensuring that no child is at risk of paralysis due to poliovirus.

    One wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) case was reported in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province bringing the number of 2022 WPV1 cases to 13. In 2021, the number of WVP1 cases was one and the number of circulating vaccine-derived polioviruses (cVDPV2) cases was eight.