ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN – Pakistan’s enduring battle against polio faces renewed challenges as the National Institute of Health (NIH) confirmed two new cases, bringing the total reported polio cases in to 29. This development comes days after a poliovirus case was confirmed in Sindh’s Hyderabad district.
Pakistan remains one of only two countries globally, alongside Afghanistan, where the poliovirus is still endemic. Despite immense global pressure and effort to eradicate the virus, progress has been hampered by ongoing obstacles such as security issues, vaccine hesitancy, and the spread of misinformation.
The two new confirmed cases involve girls, according to the NIH statement. The total cases this year include from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, from Sindh, and one each from Punjab and Gilgit-Baltistan. The country reported at least polio cases in , with the virus detected across approximately districts.
Focus on Immunisation Drives
In response to the rising case count, the NIH highlighted recent efforts, noting that a sub-national polio vaccination campaign was successfully conducted across 88 districts this month, including Badin and Thatta, reaching nearly 21 million children under the age of five.
Looking ahead, the next nationwide polio vaccination campaign is scheduled to run from October 13 to 19. The drive aims to protect an estimated 45.4 million children under the age of five across the country.
Crucially, the campaign will administer Vitamin A alongside the oral polio vaccine (OPV) to boost children’s immunity levels. The NIH emphasized the human effort involved, stating that more than dedicated frontline workers will go door-to-door to ensure every eligible child receives this essential protection.
The Institute described these campaigns as vital for “rapidly boosting children’s immunity and strengthening protection.” They stressed that polio eradication is a shared responsibility, urging parents and caregivers to actively ensure their children receive all recommended doses, including routine immunisations, as polio is a highly infectious, incurable disease that only repeated vaccination can prevent.
