ISLAMABAD: Wild poliovirus has been detected in sewage samples from the Hangu and Peshawar districts of Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province.
The paralyzing virus was found in an environmental sample collected from the Civil Hospital-Jani Chowk site in Hangu, and Naray Khuwar site in Peshawar collected on 10 April.
National Institute of Health’s (NIH) Pakistan Polio Laboratory said in a statement that the detected viruses were genetically linked to poliovirus found in the environment in Nangarhar, Afghanistan, in January.
Pakistan, Afghanistan fight poliovirus
Federal health minister Abdul Qadir Patel has said that Pakistan and Afghanistan are fighting the battle against poliovirus and will continue collaborating to eradicate it.
He said that as the only two endemic states, the risk of cross-border virus transmission is ever-present. It is a reason for concern, but this prompt detection is essential to enable us to take the necessary measures to protect children from polio.
Urging parents to ensure polio vaccination of their children, the minister said that the presence of the virus in our environment meant our children are constantly at risk. To save them from lifelong disability, it is crucial for parents and caregivers to vaccinate their kids in every campaign.
