First polio case of 2025 reported in DI Khan

Pakistan has reported its first polio case of 2025 from Dera Ismail Khan (DI Khan) in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, according to an official statement released on Wednesday. The case was confirmed by the lab on Wednesday, with the onset of symptoms dated January 7, Express News reported.

DI Khan had reported 11 polio cases in 2024. Last year, a total of 73 polio cases were recorded nationwide, with the majority from Balochistan (27 cases), followed by K-P (22), Sindh (22), and one case each from Punjab and Islamabad.

Polio, a debilitating and incurable disease, can be prevented through multiple doses of the oral polio vaccine. The Pakistan Polio Programme conducts regular vaccination drives to ensure children under the age of five receive immunization against the disease.

Additionally, the Expanded Programme on Immunisation offers free vaccinations for 12 childhood diseases at health facilities. To continue the fight against polio, Pakistan’s first nationwide vaccination campaign of 2025 is scheduled for February 3–9, 2025.