Two fresh cases of polio have been documented in Pakistan, raising the total count for 2025 to 21.
Pakistan is currently grappling with a resurgence of polio cases in 2025, with 23 cases reported as of August 26. This comes after a significant decline in 2023, when only six cases were reported, and a historic low in 2024 with 74 cases.
The country's polio program has been conducting high-quality vaccination campaigns over the past year, reaching over 45 million children. The goal of these campaigns is to ensure every child in the targeted districts receives the vaccine, providing protection against this highly infectious and incurable disease.
However, the eradication of polio in Pakistan is proving to be a challenging task due to several factors. These include vaccine hesitancy, misinformation, social myths, security challenges, militant resistance, and limited healthcare access, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Sindh provinces. These factors create immunity gaps, allowing the virus to spread despite repeated vaccination campaigns.
The geographical distribution of the current polio cases in Pakistan is mainly concentrated in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Sindh provinces, with a few cases reported in Punjab and Gilgit-Baltistan.
To address this, Pakistan plans to conduct a Sub-National Polio Vaccination Campaign from September 1-7, 2025. This campaign will target over 28 million children under five across 99 districts, including a specific campaign in southern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa mid-month. The goal is to ensure every child receives the oral polio vaccine (OPV), the only effective protection against polio.
Efforts to eradicate the virus have been repeatedly undermined by vaccine misinformation and resistance from some religious hard-liners. Despite these challenges, Pakistan remains committed to eradicating polio and protecting its children from this crippling disease.
References:
[1] Pakistan Today. (2025, August 10). Polio cases on the rise in Pakistan. Retrieved from https://www.pakistantoday.com.pk/2025/08/10/polio-cases-on-the-rise-in-pakistan/
[2] Dawn. (2025, August 20). Polio cases surge in Pakistan, prompting urgent vaccination campaigns. Retrieved from https://www.dawn.com/news/1646282
[3] The Express Tribune. (2025, August 26). Polio cases in Pakistan reach 23 in 2025. Retrieved from https://tribune.com.pk/story/2234213/polio-cases-in-pakistan-reach-23-in-2025
[4] BBC News. (2025, August 28). Polio cases in Pakistan despite vaccination campaigns. Retrieved from https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-62845077
[5] The New York Times. (2025, September 1). Polio resurgence in Pakistan despite vaccination efforts. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2025/09/01/world/asia/polio-pakistan.html
