STUDY OF PATIENTS PRESENTING WITH ACUTE FLACID PARALYSIS IN DERA ISMAIL KHAN, NWFP - PAKISTAN

A descriptive study was designed to analyse patients of acute flacid paralysis (AFP) in paediatric deptt of DHQ teaching hospital D. I. Khan during 2002. A total of 36 cases of AFP were reported during this period. They were clinically examined. History was taken with special reference to IM injection and OP vaccination. Stool samples were sent to NIH Islamabad for viral detection. Out of total of 36 patients, 15 were confirmed as polio, 5 were labelled as compatible with polio and 16 were non-polio cases. Out of 15 confirmed cases of polio, 12 (80%) had received IM injections and all had some residual paralysis / weekness after two months follow-up, while 3 of the non polio cases had received I.M. injections and non had residual paralysis / weekness on follow-up. Main cause of high polio prevalence seems to be due to low vaccination rate, particularly routine as compared to supplemental vaccination. It was concluded that supplemental polio vaccination should be continued in an improved and strengthened fession through NIDs and EPI