Pakistan’s efforts to eradicate polio faced a setback on Monday, as the Gilgit-Baltistan region reported its first case in seven years. This marks the country’s 11th case of polio since January.
The latest case was detected in a child from the Diamer district, according to the country’s polio eradication program. Health authorities are investigating how the virus, previously found in Karachi, reached the northern enclave, especially given the influx of tourists from Karachi to Gilgit-Baltistan during the summer.
Also Read | Removing fluoride from water could cause 25 million more cavities in US kids: Study
Pakistan and neighbouring Afghanistan remain the only two countries where polio remains endemic, according to the World Health Organization. In addition, ten other countries, mostly in Africa, are battling polio outbreaks.
The new case was reported just a day after Pakistan concluded its third nationwide polio vaccination drive of the year, which aimed to immunise 45 million children.
Pakistan’s polio program has long struggled with militant attacks on healthcare workers, who have faced threats and violence amid false claims that the vaccination drive is a Western conspiracy to sterilise children. Last week, unidentified gunmen shot dead a police officer guarding a polio vaccination team in Pakistan’s Balochistan province.
Earlier this year, the WHO extended travel restrictions on Pakistan due to concerns over polio. Despite global efforts to eradicate the virus, challenges such as safety issues, vaccine hesitancy, and misinformation remain in eliminating it.
