New polio cases

The first case of poliovirus this year in Pakistan was reported from Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa in January. Since then, the nationwide tally for polio cases has climbed up to 17, with K-P confirming two new cases this week alongside Sindh with one new case. With medical advancements beyond imagination, the case of the wild poliovirus type 1 - endemic in only two countries, namely Pakistan and Afghanistan - should be on a downward trajectory. Instead, the number of polio cases this year have almost doubled compared to the same period in 2024, which had nine cases by July.

The government has been arranging mass vaccination campaigns aimed at eradicating polio, with one recently held in the bordering area of K-P and Balochistan. Fresh vaccinations efforts have been underway since the beginning of the year, and the first nationwide campaign of 2025 achieved 99% of its targets across the country, vaccinating more than 45 million children. But still, the problem persists. This is because the poliovirus can easily resurface in populations that lack sufficient immunity against it, allowing a small number of people refusing to vaccinate their children to endanger the lives of others. Vaccine refusals remain one of the biggest hurdles to eradicating polio from Pakistan. Misinformation, mistrust in public health authorities and even cultural beliefs prevent people from embracing the polio vaccine and seeking a conclusion to a longstanding public health crisis. Some areas have even reported violence against health care workers.

If Pakistan is to achieve complete eradication, it must curate and implement strong policies to address vaccine refusals, as knowingly putting children at risk should not be considered a tolerable offence. The government must strengthen its collaboration with community leaders and healthcare providers to counter disinformation, build trust with its people and ensure that no child is left unprotected.