Two new polio cases confirmed in Sindh

Two fresh cases of poliovirus have been confirmed in Sindh's Badin and Thatta districts, taking the nationwide tally for 2025 to 29 and the provincial total to nine, the National Institute of Health (NIH) said on Monday.

The development comes only days after another case was reported in Sindh's Hyderabad district.

According to an NIH statement: "With these two cases, both girls, the total number of polio cases in Pakistan in 2025 has reached 29, including 18 from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, nine from Sindh, and one each from Punjab and Gilgit-Baltistan."

The NIH noted that earlier this month, a sub-national vaccination drive was conducted across 88 districts, including Badin and Thatta. "The campaign successfully reached nearly 21 million children under the age of five," it said.

The next nationwide campaign, running from October 13 to 19, aims to protect approximately 45.4 million children under five years of age.

"During the campaign, Vitamin A will also be administered alongside the oral polio vaccine (OPV) to boost children's immunity levels. More than 400,000 dedicated frontline workers will go door-to-door to ensure that every eligible child receives this essential protection," the institute said.

It stressed that the vaccination campaigns are designed to "rapidly boost children's immunity and strengthen protection as part of Pakistan's ongoing efforts to eradicate polio", urging parents and caregivers to ensure their children are vaccinated.

"Polio eradication is a shared responsibility. While dedicated frontline polio workers deliver vaccines, parents and caregivers must ensure their children receive all recommended doses, including routine immunisations," the NIH statement added.

Polio is a highly contagious, incurable disease that can lead to permanent paralysis. The best safeguard is consistent prevention: ensuring every child under five receives oral polio drops during each campaign, alongside the timely completion of all routine immunisations.