After three new cases were reported in Sindh and Balochistan on the World Polio Day Friday, the total number of the children suffering from the deadly virus in Pakistan rose to 210 in 2014.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO) sources, two cases were reported in Korangi, Karachi while the third surfaced in Zhob, Balochistan.
The new cases were reported in the backdrop of the World Polio Day being observed globally. Only three countries, Nigeria, Afghanistan and Pakistan still have transmission of the polio virus.
Aysha Raza Farooq, focal person of Prime Minister’s Polio Cell, admitted in an interview with BBC that there were some flaws in the polio eradication programme as well as vaccine quality problems. She, however, said the government was framing a policy to handle these issues.
Despite efforts by the government and other stakeholders, the number of polio cases in the country has increased by four times in year 2014 when compared to the corresponding period last year. As many as 206 cases have surfaced this year, which is a record.
The reasons behind increase in polio cases are refusal of parents to administer polio drops to their children and attacks on the teams deputed to carry out this job. From December 2012 to date at least 60 health workers and the police personnel deputed for their safety have so far been killed in attacks on them.
Owing to increase in polio cases, the World Health Organisation imposed certain restrictions on Pakistanis with reference to their travel abroad. Under these restrictions, every Pakistani intending to go abroad is bound to furnish a certificate before his departure that he has been administered polio vaccine.
Currently, the polio virus is found in three countries of the world, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Nigeria. According to the United Nations Children Fund (Unicef), a record number of polio cases surfaced in 2014 whereas a decrease in such cases was witnessed in Afghanistan and Nigeria.
The Unicef says this year206 cases surfaced in Pakistan, but only six cases were reported in Nigeria though the number of such patients in 2013 was 49 in that African country. Similarly, a considerable decline in such cases was witnessed in Afghanistan this year, the Unicef reports.
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