The Federal Minister of Health, Mustafa Kamal, has expressed concern about the growing number of poliovirus cases in Sindh, which ordered the authorities to present a detailed report on families that reject vaccines, the Ministry of Health said on Sunday. The country has registered six cases of polio in the first three months of 2025, with four reported from Sindh, according to official data.
During a visit to the Provincial Emergency Operation Center (EOC) in Karachi, Mustafa Kamal requested an urgent action to address the rejection of vaccines. “The Minister of Health has expressed concern about four cases of polyomyelitis [reported] From Sindh, ”said the Ministry of Health in a statement.
“Forty -three thousand patients in Sindh rejected vaccination, of which 42,000 are from Karachi,” said the Minister of Health. The minister received an informative session on current polio campaigns and the challenges faced by the authorities. He reiterated that eradicating the polio is still a national priority and urged officials to display all the resources available to combat the disease.
The polio is a highly infectious virus that causes paralysis and has no cure. Health experts emphasize that the multiple doses of the oral polyomyelitis vaccine, together with routine immunization for children under five years of age, are crucial for immunity.
Pakistan recorded 74 cases of polio last year. The Government has scheduled three main vaccination units against polyomyelitis in the first half of 2025, with the next rounds planned for April and May.
Pakistan and Afghanistan remain the last two countries where polyomyelitis is endemic. The efforts to eliminate the virus have been hindered by the misinformation and resistance of vaccines of some religious delays, which claim that immunization is a foreign conspiracy.
Militant groups have also frequently attacked polyomyelitis teams, raising a great challenge for eradication efforts.
