Another four polio cases confirmed in Miranshah, Khyber Agency
Number of polio cases confirmed this year has reached 82.
PESHAWAR (Web Desk) – Four fresh polio cases have been confirmed in Miranshah and Khyber Agency, Dunya News reported on Saturday.
National Consultative Group held first meeting to review anti-polio measures.
Doctor Riaz, a member of WHO polio cell, told meeting that polio virus was detected in 11-month-old Fahad, 18-month-old Yasir in different areas of Khyber Agency while two polio cases were confirmed among children from Miranshah. The children have been identified as 4-month-old Shumaila and 2-year-old Manofia.
Number of polio cases confirmed this year has reached 82.
State Minister for Health Services, Regulations and Coordination Saira Afzal Tarar stated that religious scholars would play their roles to convince those who have declared polio drops haram (prohibited).
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), Pakistan recorded 91 cases of polio last year, up from 58 in 2012.
The disease has re-emerged in Pakistan because the Taliban and other militants violently oppose inoculation campaigns and because of public fears that the vaccine leads to infertility.
Militants see the polio campaign as a cover for foreign spying and regularly attack immunisation teams, killing some 56 people since December 2012.
Their opposition has increased since a Pakistani doctor Dr Shakil Afridi helped track down Al-Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden in 2011 using a fake vaccine project.
