The polio loop

Pakistan finds itself trapped in a vicious cycle in the battle against polio – its very own Sisyphean struggle. Over the past year, the fight against the polio virus has faced significant setbacks. In 2023, the number of reported polio cases was a modest six, but the following year, the situation deteriorated dramatically with 74 cases reported across the country. Now, just one and a half months into 2025, the country has already seen two new cases. One was confirmed in Badin, Sindh, while the first case of the year was reported in Dera Ismail Khan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP). This surge in cases comes on the heels of a nationwide polio vaccination campaign that began under unfortunate circumstances, including the tragic killing of a policeman who was escorting a polio vaccination team in KP. The early results of the campaign paint a worrying picture for the country’s polio eradication efforts. According to sources within the National Emergency Operations Centre (EOC), nearly 200,000 children were missed during the immunisation drive in Karachi alone. Disturbingly, around 92,600 parents refused to allow their children to receive the polio vaccine. This growing vaccine hesitancy is a significant barrier to the country’s efforts to eradicate polio and reflects a larger issue of mistrust, misinformation and fear. The government must prioritise awareness campaigns to address these concerns, focusing on educating parents about the safety and importance of vaccination in preventing a disease that can cause permanent disability.

Pakistan remains one of the only two countries in the world where polio is still an epidemic. Other countries have progressed in the fight against polio, and as a result, have introduced stricter visa policies, requiring travelers from Pakistan to provide proof of polio vaccination. Not only that, the funds allocated to polio vaccination campaigns, which could otherwise be used to address other pressing healthcare challenges, are being diverted to fight a battle that should have been won by now. To be one of the last two countries still grappling with polio on a global scale is an embarrassment, not only to the government but also to the people of Pakistan, who deserve better protection against preventable diseases. The government must send a clear message to its citizens: the health and safety of our children should take precedence over any political or ideological differences.

One of the major obstacles to this effort is the ongoing resistance from certain militant groups who actively sabotage vaccination efforts, creating dangerous obstacles for health workers. We need this militancy tackled so our polio workers – already some of the bravest and most dedicated people in the country – can operate without fear of violence or harassment. Rebuilding public trust is also crucial. The government will need a mix of firm resolution and patience with the people – demonstrate transparency, reliability, and commitment and show the efficacy of the vaccine in a language and in optics that are local and indigenous. All this essentially requires a comprehensive plan to make the country polio-free, including strengthening infrastructure, providing adequate resources to health workers and addressing the root causes of vaccine hesitancy. Let this year be our last polio-ridden year.