Islamabad: Pakistan’s fight against polio has suffered another setback with the confirmation of a new case in southern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, raising the country’s total tally for 2025 to 24.
The Regional Reference Laboratory for Polio Eradication at the National Institute of Health (NIH), Islamabad, confirmed on Monday that a 20-month-old girl from Union Council Ping A in District Tank has been diagnosed with the crippling virus.
According to health officials, the affected child belongs to the Bettani tribe and resides in Tehsil Jandola, an area considered one of the most security-compromised regions of the country where vaccination campaigns remain severely restricted.
The girl has no travel history, suggesting that the virus continues to circulate locally within communities where immunization is hindered. Laboratory findings on the genetic cluster of the virus are still awaited.
This latest detection marks the 14th case from southern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa this year alone, highlighting the persistent challenges in eradicating polio from the region. With this case, the provincial breakdown of Pakistan’s 24 polio cases so far in 2025 stands at 16 from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, six from Sindh, and one each from Punjab and Gilgit-Baltistan.
Officials at the National Emergency Operations Center (NEOC) described the development as “alarming but not unexpected,” given the repeated difficulties in accessing children for vaccination in parts of KP, particularly Tank, North and South Waziristan, and adjoining tribal areas.
“Security-compromised districts remain the biggest hurdle in interrupting polio transmission. These pockets allow the virus to survive and spread, putting the rest of the country at risk,” one official said.
Pakistan, along with Afghanistan, remains one of only two countries in the world where polio continues to circulate. Despite nationwide campaigns supported by the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF, health authorities admit that large numbers of children in conflict-hit or inaccessible areas are missed during vaccination drives, leaving them vulnerable to infection.
The new case comes amid heightened concern over the geographic spread of the virus. Earlier this year, polio cases were reported from Sindh, Punjab, and even Gilgit-Baltistan—regions that had previously remained polio-free for years. Experts warn that continued transmission in KP could re-seed the virus across the country if urgent steps are not taken.
Parents in Tank and other tribal districts have long complained of limited access to healthcare, while vaccinators face constant threats, including violence and targeted attacks. Health workers stress that without uninterrupted access and community trust, achieving the long-promised goal of a polio-free Pakistan will remain elusive.
The NEOC has announced that targeted emergency vaccination campaigns are being planned in southern KP to contain further spread, though officials admit that without security guarantees, the campaigns may once again fall short.
As Pakistan approaches the end of 2025 with 24 confirmed polio cases already on record, public health experts warn that unless urgent and coordinated efforts are made, the virus could undo years of progress and delay global eradication targets.
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