First case of polio virus reported in 2019 from KP

F.P. Report

LAKKI MARWAT: The first case of polio virus in 2019 has been surfaced from Khyber Pakhtunkhawa (KP) in a 16-month old girl.

As per details, the National Institute of Health declared 16 months old Anum positive for the polio virus.

Emergency Operation Center (EOC) of KP said, in 2018, a total of five polio cases were reported from the province; one case each from Lakki Marwat and Charsadda districts, two cases from tribal district of Bajaur and one from tribal district Khyber.

The local officials running polio campaign in KP claimed that the victim child was vaccinated more than seven times against the virus.

Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO) Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus lauded the efforts of Pakistan for polio eradication during his visit to the country on Jan 6.

Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that Pakistan would soon become a polio free state though joint efforts and expressed satisfaction over the measures and reforms taken by the government.

Briefing the WHO chief on anti-polio drive, Federal Health Minister Aamir Mehmood Kiani said that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government is committed to eliminate polio from the country. He termed polio workers national heroes.