Polio cases rise to 14 after new infection in North Waziristan

A fresh case of poliovirus has been detected in North Waziristan which took Pakistan's 2025 tally to 14, the Regional Reference Laboratory for Polio Eradication at the National Institute of Health (NIH) said on Tuesday.

The latest case involves a 19-month-old boy from Union Council Miranshah-3 in District North Waziristan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

This marks the eighth case from KP alone this year, with the remaining cases reported from Sindh (4), Punjab (1), and Gilgit-Baltistan (1).

Polio is a highly contagious, incurable disease that can result in permanent paralysis. Repeated doses of the oral polio vaccine (OPV) during each campaign, along with completion of all essential immunisations, remain the only effective safeguard for children under five.

Although vaccination drives across the country continue to improve in scope and quality, the southern districts of KP remain a persistent challenge.

Limited access and difficulties in carrying out house-to-house vaccination campaigns have led to thousands of children missing doses and remaining exposed to the poliovirus.

In response, targeted efforts are underway. From June 23 to 28, a special vaccination campaign in six union councils of Bannu administered OPV to 17,485 children. A similar drive is being planned for 11 union councils in North Waziristan.

Moreover, preparations are in progress for a large-scale vaccination campaign across South KP in August.

Officials warn that the emergence of new cases in the region highlights the urgent need to reach every child. While frontline workers are making door-to-door efforts, the involvement of parents is crucial. Every missed dose represents a risk — and every administered dose brings the country one step closer to eradicating the disease.