Pakistan’s confirmed polio cases in 2025 have reached 10 after two new wild poliovirus cases were reported from Lakki Marwat and Bannu districts in southern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP). This brings the total cases to five in KP, four in Sindh, and one in Punjab.
While nationwide polio vaccination campaigns continue, certain areas in southern KP face access challenges that prevent effective house-to-house immunization. These obstacles have left thousands of children vulnerable to polio due to missed vaccination opportunities.
In UC Bakhmal Ahmad Zai (Lakki Marwat), children missed vaccination during the February and April 2025 campaigns, creating immunity gaps. In UC Saintanga, Tehsil Wazir (Bannu), no comprehensive vaccination drive has taken place since October 2023. Additionally, a shortage of female vaccinators and monitoring issues have widened these gaps.
The Pakistan Polio Eradication Programme (PPEP) is actively working with stakeholders to overcome these challenges and improve campaign effectiveness in high-risk areas. An intensified vaccination schedule aims to interrupt virus transmission and protect children from paralysis.
The third nationwide polio vaccination campaign of 2025 will begin on May 26, targeting over 45.4 million children under five across 159 districts, including southern KP’s high-risk zones.
Polio is a highly contagious disease with no cure. Protection depends on repeated oral polio vaccine doses for all children under five and completing the essential immunization schedule on time.
The PPEP urges all parents to ensure their children receive every polio vaccine dose to strengthen immunity and prevent lifelong paralysis. Community support remains crucial to ensure no child is missed in the fight against polio.
