Polio cripples another child in KP, nationwide tally reaches 12

ISLAMABAD: The Regional Reference Laboratory at NIH Islamabad has confirmed a new case of wild poliovirus in a 33-month-old boy from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's Bannu district.

This marks the sixth polio case reported from KP in 2025 and the 12th nationwide, according to a statement released by the National Institute of Health's (NIH) Regional Reference Laboratory on Friday.

Pakistan is one of the two polio-endemic countries in the world, along with Afghanistan, and the number of cases every year had significantly dropped in the country, until the recent spike in cases.

Polio is a paralysing disease with no cure and the completion of the routine vaccination for all children under the age of five just provides them high immunity against this terrible disease.

So far this year, Pakistan has reported 6 cases from KP, 4 from Sindh, and 1 each from Punjab and Gilgit-Baltistan.

Despite progress in national campaigns, southern KP remains a challenge due to access issues and barriers to house-to-house vaccination, leaving many children unvaccinated and vulnerable.

In 2025, three national campaigns — held in February, April, and May — have reached over 45 million children, supported by 400,000 frontline workers, including 225,000 female vaccinators, the regional laboratory noted.

It further urged parents to ensure their children under five receive polio drops in every campaign.

“The Polio Eradication Programme urges all parents and caregivers to ensure their children receive every dose of polio vaccine. Each dose strengthens immunity and offers life-long protection. Community engagement and support remain critical to stopping the transmission of poliovirus once and for all,” read the statement.

It is pertinent to note that in 2024, a total of 74 polio cases were reported across Pakistan, with Balochistan recording 27 cases, Sindh 23, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 22, and one case each from Punjab and Islamabad.