The National Emergency Operations Centre for Polio Eradication (NEOC) confirmed two new cases of wild poliovirus in southern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on April 29.
The cases were reported in Bannu and North Waziristan, where access constraints continue to aid poliovirus transmission, posing a continued risk to children’s well-being.
Pakistan has reported three polio cases so far in 2026. Since the launch of the Polio Eradication Initiative (PEI) in 1994, Pakistan has reduced polio cases by 99.8% — from 20,000 estimated cases in the early 1990s to 31 in 2025.
The two new cases were reported through the poliovirus surveillance network and confirmed by the WHO-accredited Regional Reference Laboratory for Polio Eradication at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Islamabad. The affected children belonged to the Jani Khel union council of Bannu and the Garyom union council of North Waziristan districts.
While overall poliovirus transmission in the country has been declining, with cases falling from 74 in 2024 to 31 in 2025 and three so far in 2026, reflecting the impact of high-quality vaccination drives, virus circulation in southern K-P persists.
These detections underscore the continued need for robust and targeted efforts to interrupt transmission and the importance of consistent vaccination for children everywhere in the country. No child in Pakistan will be safe until every child is safe.
The PEI is already analysing the best science-based response to reach and immunise children in this region and prevent further poliovirus transmission. In addition, the PEI is implementing alternate strategies in southern K-P, including integrated service delivery of health services like nutrition, routine immunisation, maternal and child health, and water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), as well as a community-based polio vaccination initiative to increase vaccination rates and build immunity.
Polio is a highly contagious and incurable disease that can cause lifelong paralysis and, in some instances, even death. However, the disease can be prevented thanks to polio vaccines, which are safe and effective and have been used safely in 195 countries, including all Muslim countries.
In 2026, Pakistan has already implemented two nationwide polio campaigns that protected approximately 45 million children, while the next campaign is planned in May to immunise nearly 19m children.
Polio eradication is a collective responsibility. While Pakistan’s dedicated frontline workers ensure that vaccines reach every child, parents and caregivers play a crucial role by making sure their children receive all recommended doses, including routine immunisations. The PEI urges all parents and caregivers to ensure that their children are vaccinated during every campaign to protect them from lifelong disability and/or death.
News Published in Express Tribune on May 1st, 2026.
