The total number of polio cases in Pakistan for this year has reached 37, with four additional cases confirmed, according to a report by Dunya News on Friday. The newly diagnosed children are from the provinces of Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), according to officials from the Polio Eradication Initiative (PEI).
The latest victims 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.
Despite global efforts to eradicate polio, Pakistan and Afghanistan remain the last countries where the wild poliovirus continues to afflict children, primarily in underdeveloped regions. A major obstacle in these efforts is widespread vaccine refusal, often fueled by misinformation and conspiracy theories.
Officials expressed concern over the rising vaccine hesitancy, particularly in areas like Balochistan and KP, where many parents refuse both polio drops and routine immunizations due to misleading propaganda spread by ill-informed individuals and social media. The authorities stressed that this refusal is critically hindering the polio eradication efforts, with devastating consequences for children’s health.
