Pakistan reports 18th polio case of 2025

2/8/2025 6:15

Pakistan has confirmed its 18th case of wild poliovirus this year, after the virus was detected in a child from the northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, the Ministry of National Health Services (NIH) said on Friday.

The latest case was reported in a 10-month-old boy from Tank District, the Regional Reference Laboratory for Polio Eradication at the NIH in Islamabad said in a statement.

This marks the 11th case reported from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, which remains a high-risk province due to low vaccine uptake and operational challenges in conducting door-to-door immunization campaigns.

Health authorities said the persistent detection of type-1 wild poliovirus (WPV1) in southern KP districts underscores the continued threat to children in underserved communities.

"Every unvaccinated child is at risk and can contribute to virus transmission," a spokesperson for the National Emergency Operations Center said.

According to the NEOC, Pakistan has conducted six major vaccination campaigns since September 2024, reaching more than 45 million children each time. Further nationwide and sub-national drives are planned between August and December this year, with targeted campaigns in high-risk areas.

Pakistan and neighboring Afghanistan are the only two countries where wild poliovirus remains endemic. Authorities continue to urge parents and caregivers to ensure their children receive every dose of the vaccine and to support frontline health workers in reaching every child.