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Pakistan has reported another case of polio, raising the tally for the current year to 64, Dawn reported.
According to an official of the Regional Reference Laboratory for Polio Eradication at the National Institute of Health, the lab said that a case has been reported in Jacobabad on Wednesday. The official said, "This is the fourth polio case of the year from Jacobabad. Pakistan is responding to the resurgence of WPV1 this year with 64 cases reported so far. Of these, 26 are from Balochistan, 18 each from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Sindh, and one each from Punjab and Islamabad." He advised parents to ensure vaccination for children below the age of five to keep them protected. A large-scale campaign is being conducted in Pakistan to vaccinate more than 44 mililion children in 143 districts against polio, according to Dawn report. The official said, "To keep children safe, it is critical for parents to welcome vaccinators and bring their children forward for vaccination." Meanwhile, a polio vaccination campaign, scheduled to begin this week in all 36 districts across Balochistan has been postponed for two weeks, Dawn reported. The Balochistan Emergency Oper!ations Centre (EOC) coordinator Inamul Haq said the polio vaccination drive would commence from December 30 across the province, according to Dawn report. He said a high-level meeting held on December 16 reviewed preparations for the campaign. It was observed during the meeting, which was attended by officials from all districts, that further preparations were essential to ensure an effective campaign in the wake of the widespread presence of polio virus in Balochistan. According to the sources, the polio campaign was postponed due to the strike of health workers on the appeal of a health alliance which had announced they would not take part in the vaccination campaign until the acceptance of their demands, Dawn reported. The demands of the workers include recruitment of doctors and other health officials on a permanent basis, end to public-private partnership in hospitals, and provision of medicines, equipment and other medical facilities.Despite the widespread prevalence of the disease, Dawn reported. Thee sources said the members of the health alliance had threatened Pakistani authorities even before the announcement of the polio drive that they would boycott all campaigns if their demands were not accepted. (ANI)
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