Pakistan’s Polio Battle: A New Case and Ongoing Eradication Efforts

Pakistan’s Polio Battle: A New Case and Ongoing Eradication Efforts

A fresh polio case has been confirmed in Sindh’s Hyderabad district, pushing the nationwide tally for 2025 to 27. This latest detection increases the total cases in Sindh to seven, as reported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) on Monday. This new development highlights the persistent challenge of

Polio in Pakistan

, which remains one of the last two countries where the virus is endemic, alongside Afghanistan. Persistent issues like security concerns, vaccine hesitancy, and misinformation continue to hinder global eradication efforts.

Current Landscape of Polio in Pakistan

The 27 polio cases recorded in Pakistan for 2025 include 18 from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, seven from Sindh, and one each from Punjab and Gilgit-Baltistan. Just over a week prior, two other polio virus cases were identified in southern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Specifically, a 19-month-old infant in North Waziristan’s Mir Ali tehsil and an 11-month-old infant in Lakki Marwat’s Suleman Khel tehsil were affected. In 2024, the country reported at least 71 polio cases, with the virus found in approximately 90 districts.

Intensified Vaccination Campaigns and Future Plans

In response to these ongoing challenges, Polio Eradication conducted a Sub-National Polio Vaccination Campaign in September 2025 across 88 districts, including Hyderabad. This campaign successfully immunized approximately 21 million children under the age of five. Furthermore, another significant polio immunization campaign is scheduled from October 13 to 19, with an ambitious goal to target 45.5 million children. Over 400,000 dedicated frontline polio workers will go door-to-door to ensure comprehensive coverage and reach every eligible child.

Global and National Eradication Hurdles

Pakistan, along with Afghanistan, faces unique difficulties in achieving polio eradication. These endemic countries grapple with complex factors such as insecurity, political instability, and community resistance, which often stem from traditional and religious misconceptions. Consequently, these elements complicate vaccination efforts and surveillance activities. Despite these hurdles, the Global Polio Eradication Initiative continues to focus on reaching every child and strengthening surveillance systems. Polio is a highly infectious and incurable disease that can cause lifelong paralysis. Therefore, repeated doses of the oral polio vaccine for every child under five, combined with timely completion of all essential immunizations, remain the only effective protection.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1: How many polio cases have been reported in Pakistan in 2025 so far?

As of September 2025, Pakistan has recorded 27 polio cases nationwide. These cases include 18 from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, seven from Sindh, and one each from Punjab and Gilgit-Baltistan.

Q2: What are the primary obstacles to polio eradication in Pakistan?

Key obstacles include security issues, prevalent vaccine hesitancy, and the spread of misinformation. These factors collectively impede the progress of polio eradication efforts across the country.

Q3: How can children be protected from polio?

Children can be effectively protected from polio through repeated doses of the oral polio vaccine administered during each campaign, alongside the timely completion of all essential routine immunizations.

References

1. Pakistan records one more polio case, takes nationwide tally to 27 – ETHealthworld
2. Another polio case found in Hyderabad; tally rises to 27 – Dawn
3. Pakistan Reports 3rd Polio Case of 2025 – ReliefWeb
4. Pakistan records one more polio case, takes nationwide tally to 27 – The Sunday Guardian
5. Polio eradication – Wikipedia
6. New polio case confirmed in Hyderabad, nationwide tally reaches 27 | The Express Tribune
7. Countries with Polio 2025 – World Population Review
8. Fresh polio case in Pakistan’s Sindh takes nationwide 2025 tally to 27 | Arab News
9. Polio – Wikipedia
10. Endemic Countries – Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI)
11. Poliomyelitis (polio) – World Health Organization (WHO)
12. Pakistan Polio Eradication Programme | end polio
13. (PDF) Polio eradication challenges in Pakistan – ResearchGate
14. Polio Eradication Initiative in Pakistan | UNICEF Office of Innovation
15. Polio vaccination campaign in Pakistan: a step towards eradication or still a challenge in hand? – PMC – PubMed Central
16. Polio | UNICEF Pakistan

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