Pakistan has reported its first polio case of 2025, with a 13-month-old girl from Tank district in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) confirmed to have contracted the virus. The girl, who began showing symptoms of polio on November 25, was diagnosed with Wild Poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) after tests at the National Reference Lab. This marks a concerning start to the new year, following a troubling 2024 in which the country recorded 68 polio cases, with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa seeing 21 of them.
Polio, a disease that causes irreversible paralysis and death in some cases, continues to threaten children despite the availability of a vaccine. In response, the Pakistan Polio Program has ramped up vaccination efforts, conducting numerous mass vaccination campaigns aimed at reaching every child under five. The Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) also provides free vaccinations at health facilities across the country. However, efforts have faced significant challenges, especially in Sindh, where repeated campaigns failed to completely eradicate the virus.
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Balochistan and Sindh were the hardest-hit regions in 2024, with Balochistan recording 27 cases and Sindh 19. Punjab and Islamabad each reported one case. In Sindh’s second-largest urban center, allegations of government negligence have hindered efforts to stop the spread of polio. Reports suggest that local officials failed to take meaningful action and only provided false assurances, leaving the virus to persist in the city’s sewerage system and disable two children for life.
Despite the setbacks, the government remains committed to eradicating polio, with the hope that increased vaccination efforts and accountability will help end the virus’s spread.
