ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Polio Eradication Programme (PPEP), Friday, announced detection of 18th poliovirus positive case in the country as the health authorities confirmed a 10-month-old boy from Union Council Mullazaiin District Tank, South Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) poliovirus positive.
The Regional Reference Laboratory for Polio Eradication at the National Institute of Health (NIH), while confirming a new case of poliovirus from District Tank in South KPK, taking the number of cases in the district to two while total cases in KPK to 11. Moreover, five poliovirus positive cases are reported from Sindh and one apiece from Punjab and Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B).
This year three cases have been reported from District Bannu, two each Lakki Marwat, Tank and North Waziristan districts, one each from Torgha, DI Khan. In Sindh one each polio cases has been reported from Badin, Larkana, Kambar, Thatta and Umer Kot districts, while one case was reported in district Mandi Bahauddin of Punjab and one case was reported from District Diamer of G-B.
In 2024, Pakistan has reported a total 74 polio cases, of which, 27 in Balochistan, 23 in KPK, 22 in Sindh one each in Punjab and Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT).
According to health professionals, to eradicate poliovirus from the country the federal and provincial authorities besides, polio vaccination drive should start cleaning sewerage as wild poliovirus is spreading through the sewerage.
The continued detection of polio cases underscores the persistent threat to children, particularly in areas with low vaccine acceptance. It is crucial for communities to understand that poliovirus can re-emerge wherever immunity gaps persist. Every unvaccinated child remains vulnerable and can also contribute to the spread of the virus.
Polio is a highly infectious and incurable disease that can cause lifelong paralysis. The only effective protection is through repeated doses of the oral polio vaccine (OPV) for every child under five during each campaign, along with the timely completion of all essential immunisations.
Despite significant improvements in the quality of polio vaccination campaigns nationwide, the southern districts of KPK remain a key area of concern due to restricted access and operational challenges in conducting house-to-house vaccination. These barriers continue to hinder immunisation efforts in southern KPK, leaving thousands of children unvaccinated.
Over the last year, the Pakistan Polio Programme has made measurable strides. Since September 2024, six high-quality campaigns, including four nationwide campaigns, have each reached over 45 million children. The National EOC is planning to conduct two nationwide and one sub-national campaign between August and December 2025, besides, targeted campaigns in selected high-risk districts. These efforts will help stop virus transmission and protect children from poliovirus.
As part of intensified efforts to eradicate polio in South KPK, the Prime Minister’s Focal Person on Polio Eradication, and the Coordinator of the National Emergency Operations Centre, held a meeting with the chief secretary of KPK, in Peshawar to review ongoing initiatives in the province.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
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