ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Polio Eradication Programme (PPEP) has confirmed the detection of a wild poliovirus case in District North Waziristan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), taking the national tally of polio cases to 31.
According to the Regional Reference Laboratory for Polio Eradication at the National Institute of Health (NIH), this is the fifth polio case reported from North Waziristan in 2025. The virus was detected in a four-month-old girl from Union Council Spinwam-2. The child developed symptoms in December, and subsequent samples tested positive for wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1), the laboratory confirmed on Tuesday.
With this case, Pakistan has reported a total of 31 polio cases in 2025, including 20 from KP, nine from Sindh, and one each from Punjab and Gilgit-Baltistan. Southern KP accounts for more than half of the country’s cases, with 17 of the 31 WPV1 detections reported from the region.
Compared to 2024, polio cases have declined in 2025. Last year, Pakistan recorded 74 cases, including 27 in Balochistan, 23 in KP, 22 in Sindh, and one each in Punjab and Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT).
Ongoing security challenges continue to restrict consistent access for polio teams in parts of southern KP, including North Waziristan. These constraints have led to persistent immunity gaps, leaving children vulnerable to the paralytic disease. Ensuring that every child is reached during house-to-house vaccination campaigns and receives full routine immunization remains critical.
To address these challenges, the Pakistan Polio Eradication Initiative (PEI) is adopting innovative complementary approaches, particularly in southern KP. These include engaging local influencers and providing integrated services such as nutrition support, routine vaccination, and other essential health services to strengthen children’s immunity.
While the overall trend shows a decline in poliovirus detections compared to 2024 — reflecting the impact of high-quality vaccination campaigns conducted in 2025 — virus circulation persists in certain high-risk areas. These detections highlight the continued need for robust, targeted efforts to interrupt transmission.
Polio is a highly contagious and incurable disease that can cause lifelong paralysis. The only effective protection is repeated doses of the Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV) for every child under five during each vaccination campaign, along with timely completion of routine immunization.
The PEI is intensifying efforts to ensure comprehensive vaccination coverage, particularly in high-risk and vulnerable areas. The National Task Force has endorsed the 2025–26 roadmap, which emphasizes repeated nationwide vaccination campaigns and strengthened routine immunization services. In line with this plan, the first nationwide polio campaign of 2026 will be conducted from February 2 to 8 across the country, including southern KP, aiming to vaccinate more than 45 million children under the age of five.
These campaigns are designed to rapidly boost immunity and enhance protection as part of Pakistan’s ongoing efforts to eradicate polio. Parents and caregivers are urged to ensure their children are vaccinated during every campaign, as immunization remains the only reliable protection against lifelong disability.
Polio eradication is a collective responsibility. While frontline workers work tirelessly to reach every child, parents and caregivers play a crucial role by ensuring their children receive all recommended doses, including routine immunizations. Communities, religious leaders, and the media also have a vital role in promoting vaccination, countering misinformation, and safeguarding every child’s future.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026
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