Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif reaffirmed on Thursday Pakistan’s commitment to eradicate polyomyelitis, urging accelerated efforts and stronger coordination between national, regional and international partners.
By chairing a meeting of the task force against the polio in Islamabad, the prime minister said that the government is still determined to protect all children in the country from the disease. “We are committed to protecting all children in Pakistan from this paralyzing disease and achieving a polio free Pakistan,” he said.
Shehbaz emphasized the need for complete dedication to ensure that all Pakistan’s children receive multiple doses of the polyomyelitis vaccine. He also highlighted the importance of addressing both human transmission and the environmental presence of the virus.
Recognizing the progress made so far, the Prime Minister praised the dedication of first-line health workers, the contributions of the provincial and regional governments and the role of the agencies of application of the law to support the anti-political campaign.
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He expressed a particular gratitude to the heir prince and the Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia Mohammed Bin Salman for his support for the eradication efforts of Pakistan’s polyomyelitis.
He also praised the vital contributions of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and his global development program, led by Dr. Christopher Elias, along with the continuous participation of the World Health Organization, UNICEF, Rotary International and Ks Relief.
The meeting was reported that the specific polio campaigns of the district have been designed for southern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to address the challenges located more effectively. In addition to attacking new cases of polyomyelitis among children, these campaigns also aim to eliminate environmental virus.
The Islamabad meeting attended senior government officials and global health leaders, main secretaries of the four provinces, Gilgit-Baltist, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, and the Chief Commissioner of Islamabad also participated in the session.
Shehbaz reiterated that the safety of polyomyelitis workers is a priority and directed all interested parties to intensify their collective efforts to eliminate the disease completely. He concluded by stating that with firm political will and international cooperation, the objective of a polio free Pakistan is available.
Previously, a case of polyomyelitis was reported in Waziristan del Norte, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, where a 19-month-old child tested positive, which led the country’s total to 14 cases in 2025.
The case, confirmed by the regional reference laboratory for the eradication of polyomyelitis at the National Institute of Health (NIH) Islamabad, is the eighth informed of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, with others registered in Sindh (4), Punjab (1) and Gilgit-Baltistan (1).
Pakistan saw its highest increase in the last decade in 2019, with 147 cases throughout the country, before cases fell sharply in 2021. However, a resurgence in 2024, particularly in Sindh and Baluchistan, reinforced the call to continuous and directed anti-political strategies.
