Polio Cases Rise in Pakistan Ahead of Vaccination Campaign

Polio cases are surging in Pakistan, with 39 new infections reported since January, compared to just six last year, Arab News reported yesterday.

Anwarul Haq from the National Emergency Operation Center for Polio Eradication highlighted the urgency of a new nationwide vaccination campaign set to begin on October 28, aiming to immunize at least 32 million children.

Despite ongoing violence against health workers and police protecting them, Pakistan continues its efforts to eradicate polio. Most recent cases have emerged in Balochistan and Sindh provinces, raising concerns as previous outbreaks were primarily in the northwest bordering Afghanistan, where the Taliban recently halted vaccination efforts.

Both Pakistan and Afghanistan remain the last countries where polio transmission has not been stopped. The World Health Organization has confirmed 18 cases in Afghanistan this year, emphasizing the need for simultaneous vaccination drives in both countries to combat the spread of this potentially paralyzing disease.