A new case of poliovirus was confirmed in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Friday, raising Pakistan’s national tally for 2025 to 18.
The National Institute of Health’s Regional Reference Laboratory for Polio Eradication identified the case in a 10-month-old boy from the Union Council Mullazai in the Tank district, according to a press release.
This marks the eleventh polio case in KP this year, alongside five from Sindh and one each from Punjab and Gilgit-Baltistan.
The persistence of polio cases highlights a significant threat to children, particularly in regions with low vaccine uptake.
“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,” the press release stated.
“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 considerable advancements in national vaccination initiatives, the southern districts of KP remain critical areas of concern.
Restricted access and operational challenges in conducting house-to-house vaccinations in these areas continue to impede immunisation efforts, leaving thousands of children unvaccinated, the release added.
Since September 2024, the Pakistan Polio Programme has conducted six high-quality campaigns, including four nationwide initiatives, that have each reached over 45 million children.
The National Emergency Operations Centre (NEOC) plans to conduct two more nationwide and one sub-national campaign between August and December this year, alongside targeted campaigns in high-risk districts, to halt virus transmission and protect children from the disease.
In response to the continued challenges, particularly in southern KP, the prime minister’s focal person on Polio Eradication and the coordinator of the NEOC recently met with the chief secretary of the province in Peshawar.
Their discussions focused on reviewing campaign performance, addressing current challenges, and strategising to interrupt poliovirus transmission in high-risk southern districts of KP, including Tank.
Additionally, a special planning meeting focused on South KP is scheduled to be held at the Chief Secretary’s Office on August 2-3.