Gilgit-Baltistan reported its first case of wild poliovirus in District Diamer, the Regional Reference Laboratory for Polio Eradication at the National Institute of Health confirmed on Monday.
This is the 11th case in Pakistan this year.
The third nationwide polio vaccination campaign began on May 26, and concluded on Sunday.
“The campaign successfully reached over 45 million children under five years of age across 159 districts, including high-risk areas of the country,” the Pakistan’s Polio Eradication Programme said in a notification.
Earlier, President Asif Ali Zardari urged the citizens, including the media, teachers, religious scholars and the community, to create awareness and extend their support to the polio vaccination drive and dispel the allied misconceptions to achieve a polio-free Pakistan.
“I call on parents to open their doors to vaccinators, ensuring every child receives the life-saving polio drops. I urge teachers, religious leaders, and community elders to champion this noble cause, dispelling myths and building trust. I appeal to the media to amplify the truth: the polio vaccine is safe, effective, and our best weapon,” the president Tuesday said in his message on the occasion of the countrywide polio eradication campaign launched on Monday targeting 45.4 million under-five children.
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