Charsadda reports first polio case in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa this year

A 19-month old boy has been diagnosed with the polio virus in Charsadda district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, DawnNewsTV reported.

The officials of KP Health Department's emergency response centre confirmed on Wednesday that the minor boy was tested positive for the polio virus in Charsadda's Tehbana village. This is the first polio case detected in the province this year.

Fortunately, the boy diagnosed with the virus was administered the anti-polio vaccine earlier due to which it was determined that he will remain safe from physical deformities and will be able to lead a normal life, read a statement issued by the provincial health department.

"The polio virus had attacked the boy's system but fortunately due to the presence of antibodies developed due to the vaccine, the boy has been able to have normally functioning limbs and move like any other child," said health coordinator Mohammad Abid Khan Wazir.

He added that the boy's parents are worthy of praise for cooperating with the centre's polio teams during their vaccination drive due to which the boy was spared the crippling consequences of the disease which otherwise leaves children handicapped for life.

In 2017, only one case of polio was reported In KP from the Lakki Marwat district in the south of the province.

No case was reported in 2017 from Peshawar, according to the KP emergency operation centre.

This year's polio vaccination drive will commence on September 24 throughout the province. The KP health department has formed 16,000 teams to administer drops to 5.7 million children in their efforts to eradicate polio.