KARACHI:
The National Emergency Operations Center for Polio Eradication (NEOC) on Thursday confirmed the first case of wild polio in Pakistan in 2026 in a four-year-old boy from Sujawal district in Sindh.
The case was reported through the polio surveillance network and confirmed by the Regional Reference Laboratory for Polio Eradication of the National Institute of Health (NIH) in Islamabad. The Polio Eradication Initiative (PEI) is evaluating the best response to prevent further transmission.
Since 1994, Pakistan has reduced polio cases by 99.8%, from an estimated 20,000 cases in the early 1990s to 31 cases in 2025, thanks to widespread vaccination efforts. In 2026, a national polio campaign reached more than 45 million children, and the next national campaign is planned for April.
In 2025, PEI carried out five nationwide campaigns along with targeted vaccination rounds and the integration of routine immunization.
While overall detections have decreased compared to 2024, virus circulation persists in high-risk districts of Sindh and southern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, highlighting the need for continued and targeted vaccination campaigns.
Read: Why 40,000 Karachi families refused the polio vaccine
Polio is a highly contagious disease that can cause lifelong paralysis and death, but it can be prevented by safe and effective vaccines used in 195 countries, including all Muslim-majority nations.
Wild poliovirus is the natural form of the polio virus that is transmitted from person to person, mainly through contaminated food and water or by contact with infected people. It can attack the nervous system and, in severe cases, cause permanent paralysis or death. A case of wild polio refers to an infection caused by this naturally circulating virus, as opposed to rare cases involving vaccine-derived strains.
PEI urged parents and caregivers to ensure children receive all recommended doses and called on communities, religious leaders and the media to promote vaccination and counter misinformation.
“Eradicating polio is within our reach, but it requires a collective effort. Every child must be vaccinated to prevent disability and death,” the PEI said, emphasizing the continued commitment to a polio-free Pakistan and world.
