Four new polio cases have been confirmed in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, raising Pakistan’s total to 37 for the year. Health officials reported that the affected individuals include a 30-month-old girl from Lakki Marwat, an 18-month-old girl from Pishin, a 9-month-old boy from Chaman, and a 5-year-old boy from Noshki.
Currently, Balochistan accounts for 20 cases, while Sindh has 10, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has five, and Punjab and Islamabad each report one case.
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Despite ongoing vaccination campaigns, health authorities express concern over the virus’s spread, especially in provinces like Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, which have seen significant increases in infections.
In contrast, Pakistan had recorded only one polio case in 2020 and no cases in Punjab and Balochistan in 2023.
In terms of funding, the National Polio Eradication Programme received $180 million in 2022, which rose to $187 million in 2023. For the current year, 2024, the programme has been allocated $80 million.
The Ministry of Health also noted that since January 2022, a total of $447 million has been invested in polio eradication initiatives, underscoring the government’s dedication to eliminating the disease from the country.
