Three new polio cases have been confirmed in Pakistan, bringing the total number of cases for 2025 to 17. The new cases were reported from Takhtikhel in Lakki Marwat, Mir Ali in North Waziristan, both in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Chajro in Umerkot, Sindh. The children affected by the virus include a 15-month-old girl from Lakki Marwat, a six-month-old girl from North Waziristan, and a five-year-old boy from Umerkot.
So far this year, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has reported 10 cases, Sindh five, and Punjab and Gilgit-Baltistan have reported one each. The emergence of these new cases highlights the continued threat posed by the virus, particularly in areas with low acceptance of the polio vaccine.
Polio is a highly contagious and incurable disease that can cause permanent paralysis. The only effective protection against it is through repeated doses of the oral polio vaccine (OPV) for all children under the age of five. Despite significant progress in eliminating the disease, vaccine refusals and the difficult security situation in certain areas continue to hamper efforts.
A special vaccination campaign is currently underway in border regions, coordinated with Afghanistan’s own polio drive. Additionally, a fractional IPV-OPV vaccination campaign launched in Chaman district on July 21 will be extended to six more districts in Balochistan starting July 28.
In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the highest number of cases has been reported from Bannu, with several cases also detected in Lakki Marwat and North Waziristan. However, efforts to curb vaccine refusals are showing signs of progress. Awareness campaigns have been vital in reducing vaccine rejection rates, but there are still challenges, particularly in tribal regions where security concerns remain a significant obstacle.
The government, along with its partners, continues to push for the eradication of the virus. However, the fragile security situation in some tribal areas presents ongoing challenges that must be addressed to ensure the success of the national vaccination campaigns.
