ISLAMABAD: Pakistan reported another polio case of 2024, taking the toll to 33 this year as a child from Quetta has been diagnosed with the virus.
According to details, the affected child showed symptoms of polio on August 22. Quetta city has re-ported three polio cases, with 37 sewerage samples testing positive for the virus.
Additionally, 11 polio cases and 65 positive sewerage samples have been reported from the Quetta block. This is the 33rd case to be reported from Pakistan in 2024 as Balochistan turned out to be most affect-ed with 17 cases.
Meanwhile, 10 polio cases have been reported from Sindh, four from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and one each from Islamabad and Punjab. Earlier on September 5, the National Institute of Health (NIH) presented detailed statistics on polio cases in Pakistan before the National Assembly.
According to the NIH, a total of 45 polio cases have been reported across Pakistan over the past four years.
In 2021, only one polio case was reported, while the number surged to 20 in 2022, the written state-ment of the NIH read.
During 2023, eight new cases of polio were recorded, followed by 16 cases in 2024, as confirmed by the Ministry of Health.
In 2022, $180 million were allocated for the National Polio Eradication Program, while in 2023, the budget increased to $187 million. For the ongoing year 2024, the program has been allocated $80 mil-lion.
The ministry further highlighted that since January 2022, a total of $447 million has been spent on polio eradication efforts, underscoring the government’s commitment to eliminating the disease from the country. –Agencies
