Pakistan’s 2025 polio tally rises to 31 after fifth North Waziristan case
PESHAWAR: Pakistan has reported another confirmed case of poliomyelitis from North Waziristan, pushing the country’s total polio tally for 2025 to 31 cases, according to health authorities.
Laboratory confirmation was issued by the Regional Reference Laboratory for Polio Eradication at the National Institute of Health (NIH), which stated that this is the fifth polio case reported from North Waziristan in 2025, reinforcing concerns about continued transmission in high-risk areas.
Health officials said the virus was detected in a four-month-old girl from Union Council Spinwam-2. The child reportedly developed symptoms in December, and subsequent laboratory testing confirmed infection with wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) — the strain still endemic in Pakistan.
With this confirmation, the case has been officially recorded as the 31st polio case nationwide in 2025.
Despite an overall decline in national case numbers, southern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa continues to bear the highest burden. Of the 31 cases reported so far for 2025, 17 have originated from southern KP, with North Waziristan remaining a persistent hotspot.
Health experts note that insecurity, population movement, vaccine refusals, and access challenges continue to complicate eradication efforts in the region.
Polio cases down, but transmission not eliminated
Authorities acknowledge that polio cases have dropped significantly, falling from 74 cases in 2024 to 31 in 2025 — a reduction that reflects improvements in campaign reach and surveillance.
However, officials caution that lower case numbers do not equate to elimination, especially in light of recent environmental surveillance findings.
Earlier, Medical News Pakistan reported that poliovirus was detected in 46 environmental samples across multiple provinces, confirming that the virus continues to circulate silently even where no paralysis cases are immediately visible.
Environmental surveillance has identified poliovirus presence in urban and high-risk districts across Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab, and Balochistan, underscoring the gap between reported cases and actual transmission.
Public health specialists stress that until environmental detection is eliminated, the risk of new paralytic cases remains.
Vaccination remains the only defence
Health authorities have once again emphasized the critical importance of sustained, high-quality vaccination campaigns, particularly in high-risk districts and among mobile populations.
“Every missed child keeps the virus alive,” officials warned, reiterating that polio eradication depends not only on national averages, but on reaching the hardest-to-reach children.
A fragile moment in Pakistan’s eradication effort
Pakistan remains one of only two countries in the world where polio is still endemic, alongside Afghanistan. While progress is evident, the latest case from North Waziristan serves as a reminder that the final phase of eradication is often the most difficult.
Health experts caution that complacency, fatigue, or gaps in surveillance could reverse hard-won gains — making continued vigilance essential.
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