Pakistan reports sixth polio case of 2025

A health worker administers anti-polio drops to a child, marking the launch of the latest anti-polio campaign in the city. PHOTO: JALAL QURESHI/EXPRESS
Listen to article
The Regional Reference Laboratory for Polio Eradication at the National Institute of Health has confirmed a polio case from District Thatta, Sindh, marking the fourth such case in the province and the sixth case in Pakistan for the year 2025, according to the Pakistan Polio Eradication Promgramme website.
This comes as part of a growing concern about the persistence of polio in certain regions of the country. Last year, 74 cases of polio were reported in Pakistan, with the majority coming from Balochistan (27 cases) and Sindh (23 cases). Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa reported 22 cases, while Punjab and Islamabad reported one case each.
Polio remains a crippling disease that causes paralysis and has no cure. Vaccination, especially for children under five, is the most effective way to prevent the spread of the virus.
Health authorities stress the importance of completing the full vaccination schedule to ensure high immunity in children, particularly in regions like Sindh where cases have been more frequent.
The Polio Programme has been actively rolling out vaccination campaigns across Pakistan, with the first nationwide polio campaign of 2025 reaching over 45 million children earlier this month.
Additionally, a targeted campaign in Quetta Division and Karachi took place from February 20 to 28, 2025, where around 900,000 children received both injectable and oral polio vaccines for an added immunity boost.
These efforts are part of the Big Catch-Up initiative, which is being implemented by the Expanded Programme on Immunization to immunize children against 12 preventable childhood diseases.
In a bid to address the potential cross-border transmission, a targeted vaccination activity was conducted in 104 union councils near Afghanistan or those hosting Afghan refugee populations. Over 600,000 children were vaccinated in this high-risk region.
The Polio Programme is calling on parents to ensure that their children are vaccinated against polio, underlining that every vaccination opportunity counts in the fight to eradicate the virus and prevent further cases of paralysis.
Earlier, Saudi Arabia reaffirmed its $500 million commitment to the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI), aimed at eradicating wild polio and controlling vaccine-derived polio outbreaks in Pakistan and Afghanistan, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced on Monday.

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Learn with AIFact CheckingText to SpeechAI Summary

Related Articles

Express Tribune

a day ago

• Express Tribune

Polio: no sign of abating

Listen to article The confirmation of Pakistan's 12th polio case in 2025 — a boy from Bannu just short of his third birthday — marks another grim milestone in a worsening public health crisis. This year's cases, spanning six districts in K-P, four in Sindh, and one each in Punjab and Gilgit-Baltistan, reveal a concerning trend. Despite decades of effort, the virus is regaining footholds in large cities, most notably Karachi. While we are still doing better statistically than last year, the only reason is that the 74 cases in 2024 represented a 12-fold surge from 2023, shattering earlier optimism and underscoring systemic vulnerabilities. Several interrelated crises drive this setback, including operational gaps, misinformation, militancy and security, and border-related issues. Several inaccessible areas in K-P and Balochistan have not seen comprehensive vaccination efforts for several months, and even years, because of security challenges, staff shortages and logistical difficulties. Anti-vaccine propaganda and outright threats from extremist groups further complicate the issue. Finally, the Afghan border was already a cause for concern for health authorities due to low vaccination rates across the border and among refugees, and security threats. This could worsen significantly if Israel's vicious campaign against Tehran leads to a large number of Iranians fleeing to Pakistan. The evolving nature of the challenges means there is no single solution for any part of the country. While ongoing vaccination efforts are laudable, creative solutions are required to fill lingering coverage gaps, particularly in high-risk zones where door-to-door campaigns were replaced with site-to-site efforts which, though safer, have been much less effective. We must also bridge the trust deficit between parents and the government. Political leaders, health bodies and local influencers must unite to dispel myths, ensure the safety of vaccinators and guarantee every dose reaches every child. Polio eradication is still possible within a few years, but only if we act with unprecedented urgency and cohesion.

Express Tribune

2 days ago

• Express Tribune

Peshawar sets up heatwave relief units

Staff members distribute cold drinks to pedestrians at a heat response unit set up by the Peshawar administration. PHOTO: EXPRESS In response to the ongoing heatwave, the Peshawar district administration has established heat response units at various key locations across the city to provide immediate medical assistance to the public. Under the supervision of the district administration, a total of 11 units have been set up at high-traffic areas including busy markets, bus terminals, and other public places. These units are equipped to offer drinking water, Oral Rehydration Salt (ORS) sachets, basic first aid, and shaded rest areas to citizens suffering from heatstroke or related conditions. Deputy Commissioner Peshawar, Sarmed Salim Akram, along with Additional Assistant Commissioner Syed Basharat Hussain, visited several heat response units, interacted with citizens, and distributed water bottles and ORS sachets among them. Speaking on the occasion, DC Peshawar said, "Protecting the public from the extreme heat and ensuring their safety is our top priority. The district administration is fully committed to providing all possible relief to the citizens. We urge the public to take precautionary measures and avoid going out in the sun unnecessarily." He added that this timely initiative is not only a practical demonstration of the administration's commitment to public service but also a potentially life-saving intervention in the current weather conditions.

Business Recorder

3 days ago

• Business Recorder

Minister pledges to achieve polio-free future of Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for National Health Services, Regulations, and Coordination Syed Mustafa Kamal has said that polio eradication is the top priority of the government and federal health ministry along with provincial health departments are fully committed to achieving a polio-free future for children of the country. He made these remarks while virtually attending the joint session of the Gavi Board and the Polio Oversight Board (POB), where he represented the government of Pakistan and shared key updates on national progress in the fight against polio. He highlighted that the prime minister of Pakistan is personally overseeing the polio eradication efforts and chairs monthly stocktake meetings to review progress. Sharing the latest progress, the minister stated, 'Pakistan has witnessed over a 99 percent decline in polio cases a testament to our coordinated strategy, dedication of frontline workers, and the collective efforts of all stakeholders.' He emphasised the implementation of a joint strategy to reach zero-dose children, with mobile biker teams mobilized to access nomadic and hard-to-reach populations. Underscoring the importance of global partnerships, the minister added, 'Strengthening the integrated immunization system requires continued support from both Gavi and the Polio Oversight Board. We need additional investments to ensure the training and retention of vaccinators.' He noted that enhanced synergy between the polio and EPI (Expanded Programme on Immunization) initiatives is improving immunisation coverage, while coordinated microplanning and effective monitoring are delivering tangible results in the field. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025