UN: 63 polio cases detected in Pakistan this year

The UN Children Fund said Tuesday that 63 polio cases have been reported in Pakistan this year compared to 36 cases in the same period last year. Giving a break-up, the UNICEF said that the southwestern Balochistan has now reported 22 polio cases this year, more than any other province or region in the country. The virus which circulated in the five high risk districts in Balochistan has now spread to districts previously not infected for the past five years, including Khuzdar, Noshki and Kholu. The tribal regions has reported 20 cases, southern Sindh has 14, northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has six, and the northern cities of Gilgit and Baltistan has one case. Punjab, with 60 per cent of Pakistan's population, has not reported any cases of polio in 2011 - this is a major accomplishment that must be sustained. Regional Director for South Asia, Daniel Toole Pakistan acknowledged that reaching every child with the two drops of polio vaccine is a challenge in Pakistan. He also emphasized that with firm commitment from local authorities, close follow-up, and by taking direct responsibility for reducing the number of polio cases, Pakistan can eradicate polio. 'We must ensure access to all children as specified in the President's National Emergency Action Plan for Polio Eradication in Pakistan. We have a huge task ahead of us, and we must build on lessons learned and act now,' Mr Toole who is currently visiting Pakistan to meet senior government and UN officials, said. Eradicating polio from Pakistan depends on delivering oral polio vaccine to each and every child, including the most vulnerable and the hardest-to-reach. The next polio vaccination campaign will be held 19-21 September 2011, targeting 16.5 million children in the districts at highest risk for continued circulation of polio virus. The National Emergency Action Plan launched by the President in January 2011 identified the need to improve the quality of implementation and programme management as key risks for polio virus transmission. 'The President's Emergency Action Plan is taking hold across the country,' said Mr Toole. 'It is now vital for leaders at Provincial, District and Union Councils to be fully accountable and implement the vision of the Government.' He reiterated the UNICEF's commitment to the eradication of polio in Pakistan and emphasized the need to urgently improve local polio response, vaccination outreach management and accountability for results.