Islamabad – Pakistan has confirmed two fresh cases of wild poliovirus, raising the total number of infections in 2025 to 21 and underscoring the persistent threat the disease poses to unvaccinated children.
According to the Regional Reference Laboratory for Polio Eradication at the National Institute of Health (NIH), Islamabad, the new cases have been detected in Lower Kohistan district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Badin district of Sindh.
The victims include a six-year-old girl from Union Council Pattan in Lower Kohistan and a 21-month-old girl from Union Council Matli-2 in Badin. Both children had not completed their routine immunization schedules, leaving them vulnerable to the incurable disease.
With these detections, Pakistan’s provincial breakdown of polio cases this year now stands at 13 from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, six from Sindh, and one each from Punjab and Gilgit-Baltistan. The resurgence is particularly alarming as it highlights pockets of low vaccine coverage where the virus continues to circulate silently.
Health experts warn that polio, a highly infectious viral disease, can cause irreversible paralysis within hours of onset and has no cure. “The only protection is through repeated doses of the oral polio vaccine (OPV), which builds immunity against the virus. Every child under five must receive the drops in each campaign, in addition to completing all routine immunizations,” an official from the National Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) stated.
In response to the latest cases, a Sub-National Polio Vaccination Campaign will be conducted from September 1 to 7, 2025, covering 99 districts across the country and targeting over 28 million children under the age of five. A separate campaign will be held in southern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa from September 15. Authorities said the drive is crucial to closing immunity gaps and preventing further outbreaks.
Frontline health workers are already mobilised, going door-to-door to ensure no child is missed, but officials stress that success depends on parents and communities. “Eradication is not possible without public cooperation. Parents must ensure their children are vaccinated every time. Communities need to fight misinformation, encourage others to vaccinate, and support health workers,” the EOC added.
Pakistan, along with Afghanistan, remains one of only two countries in the world where wild poliovirus is still endemic. Despite major progress in recent years, sporadic cases continue to derail eradication efforts, threatening to undo decades of investment and global progress.
Authorities have urged parents and caregivers to remain vigilant and to contact the Sehat Tahaffuz Helpline at 1166 or the Polio Helpline on WhatsApp at 0346-7776546 for information.
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