The National Institute of Health has confirmed two new cases of poliovirus from Sindh, raising Pakistan’s total polio count in 2025 so far to 29, the Associated Press of Pakistan reported. According to the NIH, the new cases were detected in Badin and Thatta districts, with both patients being young girls.
With this confirmation, Sindh’s tally for the year has reached nine cases, while the country-wide breakdown shows 18 cases in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, nine in Sindh, and one each in Punjab and Gilgit-Baltistan.
Polio is a highly infectious and incurable disease that can cause lifelong disability. Health experts emphasise that the only effective protection is repeated doses of the Oral Polio Vaccine for every child under the age of five, along with timely completion of routine immunizations.
In September, the National Emergency Operations Centre for Polio Eradication carried out an immunization campaign across 88 districts, including Badin and Thatta, successfully reaching and inoculating nearly 21 million children.
Countrywide polio vaccination drive from October 13 to 19
The next nationwide polio vaccination drive will take place from October 13 to 19, targeting 45.4 million children up to the age of five years.
Alongside OPV, Vitamin A supplements will also be administered to strengthen children’s immunity.
Over 400,000 trained and dedicated frontline workers will go door-to-door to ensure every eligible child receives protection.
Officials stressed that polio eradication requires collective responsibility. While frontline workers play a critical role in delivering vaccines, parents and caregivers must ensure their children receive polio drops every time the campaign is launched, they said.
They urged communities, teachers, religious leaders, and the media to support vaccination efforts, dispel misinformation, and encourage families to get their children vaccinated.
Health authorities reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to eradicate polio, stressing that united efforts are essential to secure a polio-free future for every child in the country.
