Regional Reference Laboratory for Polio Eradication at the National Institute of Health (NIH) has confirmed the detection of the 65th wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) case of 2024 from the country.

The lab confirmed the case from Balochistan’s Killa Abdullah. This is the seventh polio case from Killa Abdullah this year.

Pakistan is responding to the resurgence of WPV1 this year with 65 cases reported so far. Of these, 27 are from Balochistan, 18 from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 18 from Sindh, and one each from Punjab and Islamabad.

Polio is a paralysing disease that has no cure. Multiple doses of the oral polio vaccine and completion of the routine vaccination schedule for all children under the age of five are essential to provide children with high immunity against this terrible disease.

Earlier this month, the government launched its last campaign of this year, bringing the vaccine to children at their doorsteps while the Expanded Programme on Immunization provides vaccinations against 12 childhood diseases free of charge at health facilities.

The December sub-national Polio vaccination campaign in Balochistan province is scheduled to begin on December 30, during which all 36 districts of the province will be targeted for vaccination.