It is essential for parents and caregivers to vaccinate their children during upcoming May campaign & every campaign to prevent them from developing a disability that lasts a lifetime.
In sewage samples from Peshawar and Hangu districts, wild poliovirus was detected. The wild poliovirus was found in environmental samples taken from Naray Khwar in Peshawar and the Civil Hospital-Jani Chowk in Hangu District on April 10.
The Pakistan Polio Laboratory at the National Institute of Health says that the two viruses found are genetically related to poliovirus that was found in Nangarhar, Afghanistan, in January of this year.
According to Federal Minister for National Health Services, Pakistan and Afghanistan are waging war on polio and will continue to collaborate to eradicate it.
Since these are the only two endemic nations, cross-border transmission poses an ongoing threat. It a reason for concern, however this brief discovery is generally urgent to empower us to do whatever it may take to safeguard kids from polio, he said.
The minister stated, “The presence of poliovirus in our environment means our children are constantly at risk,” urging parents to ensure polio vaccination.
It is essential for parents and caregivers to vaccinate their children during the upcoming May campaign and every campaign to prevent them from developing a disability that lasts a lifetime.
During the month of May, Pakistan and Afghanistan will coordinate a vaccination campaign to boost children’s immunity to the crippling disease.
23.55 million children under the age of 5 in Pakistan and Afghanistan will be vaccinated starting on May 15 in 78 districts, including Peshawar and Hangu, and union councils bordering Afghanistan.
In 2023, Pakistan has reported one human case and five positive environmental samples for wild poliovirus.
One of the nation’s most prestigious institutions, the National Institutes of Health has been providing diagnostic services, conducting research, and developing vaccines for more than 40 years.
The concept of establishing a National Health Center (NHC) was first conceived at the beginning of the 1960s, and it began operating in Islamabad in 1965. The Directorate of Nutrition Survey and a few other organizations that conduct health-related research were moved to the NHC. National Health Laboratories (NHL – Islamabad) was the name given to all of these separate departments after they were later merged into a single entity.