A polio case in North Waziristan raises the total count to 14.
The Regional Reference Laboratory for Polio Eradication at the National Institute of Health (NIH), Islamabad, has verified a polio case from the North Waziristan district in South Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. A 19-month-old boy from Union Council Miranshah-3 has been recognized as the eighth polio case in K-P this year.
The recent detection has increased the total reported polio cases in Pakistan for 2025 to 14, comprising eight from K-P, four from Sindh, and one each from Punjab and Gilgit-Baltistan.
Polio is a highly contagious and incurable illness that can result in permanent paralysis. The sole effective safeguard is the administration of multiple doses of the oral polio vaccine (OPV) to every child under five during each campaign, in conjunction with the prompt completion of all requisite immunizations.
Despite nationwide initiatives to enhance the efficacy of vaccination campaigns against polio, the southern districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa pose significant challenges due to restricted access and difficulties in implementing house-to-house vaccination efforts. These impediments lead to missed opportunities, rendering thousands of children unvaccinated and susceptible to poliovirus.
A targeted vaccination initiative took place in six union councils of Bannu from June 23 to 28, during which 17,485 children were administered the Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV). A comparable focused vaccination initiative is being organized in 11 union councils of North Waziristan.
Preparations are in progress for a significant vaccination campaign in South K-P, set for August.
Recent polio cases in South K-P serve as a poignant reminder that children overlooked during vaccination campaigns are at significant risk. The program is striving to reach every child, but parental involvement is essential.
