Polio-infected toddler dies in Karachi

KARACHI: A three-year-old child from Sujawal district of Sindh who tested positive for polio died at the National Institute of Child Health (NICH) Karachi during treatment, officials said on Wednesday. The tragedy highlights the horrific increase in the number of polio cases across the country to 80.The "Emergency Operation Centre for Polio” in Sindh confirmed the three-year-old as the 9th polio victim of the province, taking the totalnumber of cases in the country to 80," an official told The News on Wednesday. According to the EOC Sindh official, 36-month old Aman fell victim to the polio virus in Badhar Mohalla UC Bello, Sujawal. Initially, he was not declared polio positive as his stool sample could not be collected and he passed away due to renal failure at NICH, Karachi. The Polio Eradication Initiative officials said Aman was also suffering from malnutrition and he frequently suffered from diarrhea and vomiting since September 10th.The EOC official said "On 24th September, a faith healer injected some medicine to the child due to which by the next day, Aman could not even walk properly. " The child was taken to Civil Hospital, Thatta where pediatrician Dr. Maqsood diagnosed the condition to be polio-induced acute flaccid paralysis. He was brought to Karachi where his condition worsened and he passed away due to renal failure at the National Institute of Child Health, Karachi on Wednesday. The child belonged to a poor family living in poor hygienic surroundings in Sujawal. According to officials, three samples from the child's siblings also fully confirmed active virus circulation in the area, confirming that Aman suffered from polio. With the fresh polio case from Sujawal, the total number of polio cases across the country has risen to 80. This includes 59 from KP, 9 from Sindh, 7 from Balochistan and 5 from Punjab, showing the unmitigated disaster continues to take the toll of the younger generation, calling for serious government attention and newer prevention strategies.

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