Polio Paralyses Pakistan: Virus Detected In 36% Of Sewage Samples Across 87 Districts

Islamabad: Pakistan is grappling with health challenges as the country has reported two additional cases of polio virus, bringing the total number of cases in 2025 to 23. The latest cases, confirmed by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), involve a 16-month-old girl from Tank district and a 24-month-old girl from North Waziristan district, both located in the southern regions of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Pakistan's struggle to eradicate polio is raising health concerns, with security concerns, vaccine hesitancy, and misinformation hindering progress. Despite decades of global efforts to eliminate the disease, Pakistan, alongside Afghanistan, remains one of the only two countries where polio is still endemic. The virus has been detected in nearly 90 districts across the country, including areas in Punjab and Pakistan-occupied Gilgit-Baltistan (PoGB).

The Regional Reference Laboratory for Polio Eradication at Islamabad's NIH has confirmed that poliovirus was detected in 36% of sewage samples collected from 87 districts in July, indicating the widespread nature of the virus. In 2024, Pakistan reported at least 71 cases, pointing to the need for sustained efforts to combat the disease.

Reality of Polio

Polio is a highly infectious and incurable disease that can cause lifelong paralysis. The only effective protection against polio is repeated doses of the oral polio vaccine (OPV) for every child under five during each campaign, along with timely completion of all routine immunisations. Children living in hard-to-reach areas and those from communities with low vaccine acceptance continue to be at particular risk.

The NIH statement asserted that the continued detection of polio cases, particularly in southern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, remains a serious concern. The parents and caregivers are urged to ensure their children receive the polio vaccine during every campaign, as part of ongoing efforts to rapidly strengthen immunity and address existing protection gaps.

Vaccination Efforts Underway

A nationwide polio vaccination campaign is scheduled to take place from September 1 to 7, in order to vaccinate over 28 million children across 99 districts in all provinces. A separate campaign in southern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa will be conducted starting September 15. The campaigns are part of the ongoing effort to close gaps in immunity among children and ensure that no child remains unvaccinated.

The experts stated that the fight against polio requires a collective effort, with parents, caregivers, and communities playing a crucial role in ensuring children receive all recommended doses of the polio vaccine and complete their routine immunisations.