The Regional Reference Laboratory for Polio Eradication at the National Institute of Health (NIH) has confirmed two new polio cases in Pakistan, raising the country’s tally for 2025 to 21 cases.
According to officials, the latest cases were detected in a 72-month-old girl from Union Council Pattan in District Kohistan Lower, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and a 21-month-old girl from Union Council Matli-2 in District Badin, Sindh.
With these detections, Pakistan’s case count this year has reached 13 in KP, six in Sindh, and one each in Punjab and Gilgit-Baltistan.
Health officials stressed that polio is a highly infectious and incurable disease that can cause lifelong paralysis, and the Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV) remains the only effective protection. They warned that continued detection of cases indicates persistent risks in areas with low vaccine acceptance.
To address this, a Sub-National Polio Vaccination Campaign will be conducted from September 1–7, 2025, targeting more than 28 million children under five across 99 districts nationwide. In southern KP, the drive will begin on September 15.
Authorities urged parents and caregivers to ensure that children receive polio drops during every campaign and complete their routine immunizations. Communities were also encouraged to counter misinformation and support frontline health workers in protecting children from the disease.
