Polio Resurgence in Pakistan: Urgent National Vaccination Drive Announced

Pakistan has reported two new polio cases, increasing the country's total to 41 this year. The cases in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have intensified efforts to eradicate the disease. A vaccination campaign targeting 45 million children will be launched, while a strategic eradication plan aims for success by June 2025.

Pakistan has reported two new cases of polio, elevating the national count of the disease to 41 this year, according to media outlets on Saturday.

The recent cases emerged amid the global observance of Polio Day on October 24, reported by the Dawn newspaper. They occurred in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, challenging the nation's initiatives to eliminate the poliovirus.

To tackle the rising polio cases, Pakistan's Polio Programme is preparing a nationwide vaccination campaign next week to immunize over 45 million children. Acknowledging the virus's proliferation, Ayesha Raza Farooq, Prime Minister's Focal Person for Polio Eradication, has emphasized a strategic plan to eradicate the disease by June 2025.

(With inputs from agencies.)