Rising polio case reports in Pakistan brings the total for 2025 to 24

In a bid to eradicate polio from Pakistan, a nationwide vaccination campaign has been initiated, with over 28 million children set to receive two drops of the polio vaccine. The campaign, which began across 99 selected districts, aims to immunize more than 4.1 million children in seven districts of Punjab, over 2.1 million in 26 districts of Balochistan, and over 5.7 million in 27 districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

However, the campaign in nine districts of Punjab has been postponed due to flooding, raising concerns about the vulnerability of children in affected areas.

The latest polio case, reported on Monday, involves a 20-month-old girl from Union Council Ping A, District Tank, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The case was confirmed by the Regional Reference Laboratory for Polio Eradication at the National Institute of Health (NIH), Islamabad. The identity of the healthcare professional who diagnosed the case remains undisclosed in the available sources.

Last month, polio cases were reported from district Kohistan Lower, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and district Badin, Sindh, adding to the persistent detection of polio cases, particularly in Southern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, which remains a matter of concern.

In response to these ongoing challenges, a comprehensive strategic Roadmap for Polio eradication in Southern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has been developed and finalized. The Roadmap incorporates microplanning innovations, gap analyses, and targeted strategies and interventions to address the persistent challenges in the region.

National and Provincial Emergency Operations Centres (EOCs) are taking measures to ensure the implementation of high-quality vaccination campaigns, focusing on children living in hard-to-access areas and those with low vaccine acceptance who continue to be at risk.

Despite the ongoing efforts, a total of 24 polio cases have been reported in Pakistan in 2025, with 16 cases from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, six from Sindh, one each from Punjab and Gilgit-Baltistan.

As the campaign continues, the hope remains that this collective effort will lead to a polio-free Pakistan.