Pakistan confirms two new polio cases as 2025 tally rises to 21

Pakistan confirms two new polio cases in Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has confirmed two additional polio cases, raising the national tally to 21 cases in 2025. Health authorities confirmed that the latest cases were reported from Lower Kohistan in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Badin in Sindh, prompting urgent vaccination campaigns in both districts.

According to the National Emergency Operations Centre (NEOC), the newly infected children include a six-year-old girl from union council Pattan in Lower Kohistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and a 21-month-old girl from union council Matli-II in Badin, Sindh.

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With these reports, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s polio cases have climbed to 13, while Sindh’s count has reached six. Punjab and Gilgit-Baltistan have each reported one case earlier this year.

Health officials said intensified door-to-door vaccination drives are being launched in high-risk areas to stop further transmission of the poliovirus. Community health workers, supported by local authorities, are conducting awareness campaigns to ensure parents do not miss immunization rounds for their children.

Experts stress that the new cases highlight the urgency of strengthening routine immunization, addressing vaccine refusals, and improving access in remote areas. Despite consistent progress in the national eradication program, Pakistan remains one of only two countries where polio is still endemic.

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The Ministry of National Health Services, in collaboration with international partners such as WHO and UNICEF, has reaffirmed its commitment to ending polio. Officials urged parents and communities to fully cooperate with vaccination teams to protect children from lifelong disability caused by the poliovirus.

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