With 3 more cases, Pak polio tally rises to 69 this year

Three more cases of polio have been reported in Pakistan — two in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and one in Sindh — taking the total number of polio cases to 69, a report in Pakistani media said.

In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, this year alone, 52 polio cases have come to light.

World Health Organisation (WHO) has expressed deep concern over rising polio cases in Pakistan, calling the polio eradication programme a complete failure.

There is a widespread misconception about polio campaign in Pakistan that this is "backed by foreign powers and anti-state elements" and is geared towards making Muslim children sterile, a report said.

According to Pakistan Prime Minister's Focal Person on Polio campaign, Babar bin Atta,
misinformation through social media is a new challenge. The situation is such that people hide their children from the polio workers as soon as they come. Some people even put the marker on the children's fingers to show that they have already been vaccinated.

According to a recent WHO report, Pakistan is one of the only three countries in the world along with Afghanistan and Nigeria where polio remains endemic.IANS