Pakistan’s polio reaches 21 to two new cases

• Two new cases of polio detected in KP and Sindh.
• Girls aged 6 years and 21 months last victims.
• The vaccine unit begins on September 1st to 99 areas.

The Regional Reporting Laboratory for the Elimination of Poliolelitis at the National Institute of Health (NIH), Islamabad, confirmed two new cases of polio, one from the Kohistan Lower area, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the other from the Badin area, Sindh.

The latter cases include a 72-month-old girl from the Pattan Union Council in the Kohistan Lower area and a 21-month-old girl from the Matli-2 Council in the Badin area. With these detects, the total number of cases of polio in Pakistan in 2025 reached 21-year-old 13 by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, six from Sindh and one of Punjab and Gilgit-Baltistan.

Polio is an extremely infectious and incurable disease that can cause lifelong paralysis. The only effective protection is through repetitive doses of the oral polio vaccine (OPV) for each child under five during each campaign, along with the timely completion of all usual immunerations.

Despite significant progress, ongoing detection of polio cases shows that children remain at risk in areas with low acceptance of the vaccine.

From September 1 to 7, 2025, a sub -national vaccination campaign will be held, with a target of more than 28 million children under five in 99 districts in all provinces and areas.

The campaign in southern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa will take place on September 15. The goal is to ensure that every child in these areas receive the vaccine to protect them from the lifelong consequences of polio.

This campaign is part of the ongoing efforts to rapidly strengthen immunity between children and close existing protection gaps. Parents and carers are strongly invited to ensure that their children receive the polio vaccine during this campaign.

The elimination of polio is a common responsibility. While front -line health workers continue to provide critical vaccines to children, parents and carers play an important role, ensuring that their children receive all recommended doses of the polio vaccine and complete their usual immunerations. Communities can protect their children by actively supporting vaccination efforts, offsetting misinformation and encouraging others to vaccinate.