Pakistan Polio Eradication Programme’s national coordinator Dr Shahzad Baig has resigned from the post due to “personal reasons”.

The former anti-polio programme chief confirmed the development day after the government decided to replace him with a bureaucrat for the position.

Dr Baig was recently featured among the world’s 100 leaders in the field of health in Time magazine’s coveted annual list.

The former national coordinator’s resignation comes after he faced severe criticism for the spread of polio in the country with the virus confirmed in at least 153 environmental samples across 39 districts.

So far, three children have been affected by the poliovirus in Pakistan.

Earlier today, government officials told The News that a bureaucrat will lead the National Emergency Operation Centre (NEOC) for polio after being perturbed by the resurgence of poliovirus across Pakistan in the last two years.

“Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has decided to replace the incumbent National Coordinator of the Emergency Operation Centre (EOC), Dr Shahzad Baig, with a government official of BPS 21 or above to lead the operational side of polio eradication initiative following resurgence of poliovirus in recent years,” an official of the National Health Services, Regulations, and Coordination (NHSR&C) told the publication.

Meanwhile, the official maintained that Dr Baig could continue as a technical advisor for the polio programme at his discretion, but administrative decisions would now be made by an official appointed by the government.

According to the official, the wild poliovirus is spreading rapidly in Pakistan. In 2023, 126 environmental samples tested positive for poliovirus in 28 districts.

The official mentioned that a notification regarding the appointment of a new national coordinator is expected soon, claiming that even the partner organisations, which previously supported Dr Baig, have agreed on his replacement with a government official.

“Actually, Dr Shahzad Baig is not a Government of Pakistan employee, which led to coordination issues that derailed the polio programme. Provincial coordinators and other senior government officials had complaints about him, and some even sent letters to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif against him,” the official further claimed.

ISLAMABAD: As the sizzling weather continues to taking its toll on the people, health experts have called for taking steps to avoid skin ailments during the current weather conditions.

Harsh ultraviolet rays and the increasing humidity can lead to a lot of sweating, which in turn results in skin ailments like skin burns and infections, as per the experts.

Talking to PTV News on Monday, a renowned skin specialist Dr Mubashir Mushtaq Daha said that skin allergies and heat rashes are most common during the scorching months when the mercury shoots up, adding, that sunburn can increase the chance of skin cancer.

However, citizens should protect their skin from harmful rays all year round, but especially in the extra-sunny days of summer, he added.

The specialist further explained that the sun and heat can dry out your skin. Dry skin in the summer can occur due to a variety of factors, such as excessive sun exposure, hot showers, and not drinking enough water.

The cases of fungal infection are at their peak this summer. The cases are common in all age groups, mostly in the moving population from one city to another, he added.

Aloe vera and rose water can soothe the skin, so people can apply them to the skin to bring relief from itching, he advised.

Citizens should wear lightweight and breathable fabrics like cotton or linen which allow human skin to breathe and prevent the build-up of moisture.

Wearing tight clothes can cause more sweating which creates an ideal environment for growth, increasing the susceptibility to infection, he warned.

Insects become more active during the summer, and their stings or bites can cause allergic reactions in susceptible individuals. Bee stings, ant bites, and mosquito bites are common triggers. These reactions can vary from mild redness to severe swelling, Dr Khurram Mushir, another skin specialist added.

Seasonal allergies can also affect the skin, especially during the high pollen season. Allergic individuals may experience contact dermatitis. The typical symptom is an itchy rash after contact or indirect exposure to plants or grasses, he mentioned.

Additionally, keep in mind that home remedies provide soothing relief for mild reactions, but for severe symptoms, it is best to seek medical attention, the expert added.

ISLAMABAD: A 12-year-old girl was found infected with Wild Poliovirus 1 (WPV1) in Balochistan’s Killa Abdullah district as Pakistan reported its third case of 2024.

According to the Regional Reference Laboratory for Polio at the National Institute of Health, WPV1 was detected in stool samples collected from a 144-month-old child in Darozai union council of Killa Abdullah, who developed symptoms of paralysis on April 20. Genetic sequencing of the isolated virus is underway.

It is the third polio case in 2024 in Pakistan as the previous two polio cases were also reported from different districts of Balochistan, officials said.

“It is incredibly tragic that another child has been affected by polio this year in Balochistan,” said Coordinator to the Prime Minister on National Health Services Dr Malik Mukhtar Ahmed Bharath, adding that polio is a terrible illness that changes not just the child’s life but also of the whole family.

“The government is bringing the polio vaccine to the citizens’ doorsteps in multiple polio vaccination rounds. I urge families to understand the risk this disease poses to children and make sure that they vaccinate all their children under the age of five when the polio worker shows up to their homes.”

Dr Shahzad Baig, Coordinator of the National Emergency Operations Centre for Polio Eradication, said that a detailed case investigation will be launched immediately to identify the origins of the virus, find populations that may have missed vaccination and take corrective measures to contain its spread.

“We have already conducted four polio vaccination campaigns this year, including two nationwide campaigns to boost children’s immunity and we will be conducting another campaign in June,” he added.

This is the third polio case from Balochistan this year and the first reported from Killa Abdullah after three years.

Last year, six polio cases were reported in the country, four from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and two from Karachi.

At least six members of a family were infected with brain worms after consuming black bear meat, harvested earlier by one of the family members, CBS News reported citing a report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

According to the report, in July 2022, a Minnesota man was hospitalised several times with symptoms including fever, muscle soreness and swelling around his eyes.

He revealed that he had attended a family gathering in South Dakota and shared kabobs made from black bear meat that had been in a freezer for a month and a half before being thawed out for the meal.

Family members began eating the kabobs but noted that the meat tasted underdone, so it was recooked and served again.

According to the CDC report, because the meat was darker in colour, it was initially and inadvertently served rare.

The 29-year-old Minnesota man was diagnosed with trichinellosis, a roundworm which is rare in humans and usually acquired through the consumption of wild game.

Once in a human host, the larvae can then move through the body to muscle tissue and organs, including the brain.

Five other family members were diagnosed with being infected by the same worms. Three family members were hospitalised, and were treated with albendazole, which keeps the worms from absorbing sugar “so that the worm loses energy and dies”.

According to the CDC, the only way to kill trichinella parasites is to adequately cook the meat it resides in, to an internal temperature of at least 165°F.

It warned that it can cross-contaminate other foods.

According to Dr Céline Gounder, symptoms of brain worm infection can include nausea, vomiting, headaches and seizures.

One of the most deadliest spiders in the world is making its comeback this summer.

Residents of Texas, Arizona, and other southwest states are being advised to remain careful as deadly black widow spiders are making a comeback this summer, as per scientists and pest management professionals.

Experts warn that the neurotoxic venom that the females of this species may unleash is 15 times more potent than a rattlesnake bite and is utilised by them to defend themselves and immobilise their prey, according to Daily Mail.

The venom, called latrotoxin, primarily affects children, the elderly, and the sick. It can cause severe muscle pain and spasms, heart problems, abdominal cramps, and paralysis of the diaphragm, which can cause significant breathing difficulties.

Entomologists at Texas A&M advised that locals should “take precautions when dealing with stored items or working in areas where these spiders might hide,” specifically, “undisturbed sites such as basements and storage areas.”

“They prefer cluttered areas,” according to Bryant McDowell, a pest management specialist who executes training and seminars on the topic for Texas A&M university.

“I have personally come across black widow spiders hanging out in outdoor trashcans, BBQ smoke pits that have been untouched for some time, and underneath patio furniture,” McDowell said.

Scotland may have five times higher numbers of Lyme disease than first thought.

Lyme disease spreads from ticks to humans. It is a bacterial infection that causes a tell-tale round rash and flu-like symptoms.

The tick-borne illness is believed to affect at least 2,500 Scots every year, new research suggests.

The disease is curable with a course of antibiotics. However, it may cause debilitating symptoms that can last for years.

Lyme disease is widespread in Scotland, particularly in the Highlands. However, the number of patients suffering from the infection is not yet confirmed.

The research was conducted by the Scottish Lyme Disease and Tick-borne Infections Reference Laboratory in Inverness. Carrying out the study of GP practices in the north of Scotland, researchers tried to find out the number of patients infected with Lyme disease.

The researchers counted lab reports and searched patients’ medical records for evidence, such as coming in with a tick bite and being prescribed antibiotics. They took into account NHS records from 63 GP surgeries. They ended up finding 3,412 people infected with Lyme disease. They also considered people suspected of having Lyme disease as they were treated with antibiotics from January 2019 to December 2022.

“Current data is based on laboratory testing figures but many cases are diagnosed and treated by GPs without any need for a blood test and so don’t appear in official figures,” said Dr Sally Mavin, director of the laboratory.

“The study found the number of Lyme disease cases could be as much as five times higher than current data suggests, up to 850 cases per year in the Highlands, which could equate to 2,500 per year for the whole of Scotland.”

“It is important we are aware of ticks and how to prevent being bitten and know how to check ourselves and our children for them so that we can remove them quickly and safely to reduce the risk of getting Lyme disease,” she added.