ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has recorded 27 wild poliovirus (WPV) cases so far in 2025, underscoring the country’s struggle to stamp out the disease despite decades of eradication efforts.
The majority of infections are concentrated in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (18 cases), followed by Sindh (7 cases) — including the most recent confirmed in Hyderabad on September 23 — and Punjab and Gilgit-Baltistan (one each). The case count adds to mounting concerns after infections surged to 74 in 2024, reversing a historic low of just six in 2023.
Widespread Circulation Detected
Public health experts say the problem extends beyond confirmed cases. Environmental surveillance shows the virus remains entrenched, with samples testing positive in sewage systems across Karachi, Peshawar, Quetta, Rawalpindi and other major cities. Officials warn the continued detection highlights gaps in vaccination coverage and the difficulty of breaking transmission chains.
Persistent Refusals Undermine Progress
Alongside insecurity and access challenges, parental refusals remain a major hurdle. Tens of thousands of children are missed during each campaign, particularly in KP and urban Sindh, where misinformation continues to fuel resistance.
Health workers report that some parents still believe discredited conspiracy theories that the vaccine causes sterility or is part of a Western plot against Muslims. Others cite distrust in government health services or refuse drops as a form of protest, pointing to the lack of basic facilities in their communities.
A Fragile Campaign
Despite these setbacks, frontline vaccinators — many of them women — continue door-to-door campaigns under tight security. Officials say more than 99% of target children are reached, but the small percentage left unvaccinated is enough to keep the virus alive.
“The last mile is always the hardest,” one senior polio official i
Health officials say the upcoming nationwide drive, scheduled for October 13–19, 2025, will be a crucial step in Pakistan’s eradication effort.
With more than 400,000 workers set to go door-to-door to vaccinate an estimated 45.4 million children under five, the campaign aims to strengthen immunity and curb ongoing transmission rapidly. Authorities stress that alongside nationwide efforts, targeted drives in high-risk districts will remain essential to overcome refusals and halt the virus’s spread once and for all.
