- 5th polio case confirmed from North Waziristan district.
- Southern KP reports majority of cases in 2025.
- Nationwide polio campaign scheduled for early February.
KARACHI: The Regional Reference Laboratory for Polio Eradication at the National Institute of Health (NIH) has confirmed a new case of wild poliovirus (WPV1) in North Waziristan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), taking Pakistan’s total polio cases in 2025 to 31.
The National Emergencies Operation Centre, in a press release, said that the virus was detected in a four-month-old girl from Union Council Spinwam-2 in North Waziristan.
The child developed symptoms in December, and laboratory testing of subsequent samples confirmed WPV1, marking the 5th case reported from North Waziristan in 2025.
Last year, the country reported 20 cases from KP, nine from Sindh, and one each from Punjab and Gilgit Baltistan (GB).
Southern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has accounted for more than half of the country’s cases this year, with 17 of the 31 detections reported from the region, according to the official statement.
Officials said ongoing security challenges in parts of southern KP, including North Waziristan, have restricted consistent access for vaccination teams, resulting in immunity gaps that continue to leave children vulnerable to the paralytic disease.
Health authorities stressed the importance of ensuring that every child is vaccinated during each house-to-house campaign and receives complete routine immunisation.
The Pakistan Polio Eradication Initiative (PEI) is also implementing complementary measures, particularly in southern KP, including engaging local influencers and offering integrated services such as nutrition support, routine vaccinations and other basic health facilities to improve immunity levels.
Despite an overall decline in poliovirus detections compared to 2024 — reflecting the impact of high-quality vaccination campaigns carried out in 2025 — virus circulation persists in several high-risk areas. Officials said the continued detections underline the need for focused and sustained efforts to interrupt transmission.
Polio is a highly contagious and incurable disease that can cause lifelong paralysis. Authorities reiterated that repeated doses of the Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV) for children under five, along with timely routine immunisation, remain the only effective protection.
The PEI has stepped up efforts to ensure comprehensive vaccination coverage, particularly in vulnerable regions. The National Task Force has approved the 2025–26 roadmap, which prioritises repeated nationwide vaccination drives and stronger routine immunisation systems.
In line with the roadmap, the first nationwide polio campaign of 2026 will be held from February 2 to 8 across the country, including southern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, with the aim of vaccinating more than 45 million children under the age of five.
Officials urged parents and caregivers to ensure their children are vaccinated in every campaign, stressing that immunisation is the only reliable safeguard against lifelong disability.
They also highlighted the role of communities, religious leaders and the media in promoting vaccination, countering misinformation and supporting the goal of a polio-free Pakistan.
