Polio threat looms over Punjab
The eradication of polio across Pakistan, including Punjab, remains a major public health challenge. Although vaccination campaigns have largely controlled the poliovirus, its intermittent presence in sewage and environmental samples indicates that Punjab is still not polio-free.
Reportedly, there has been an annual increase in reported polio cases in Punjab, with the primary reason cited as the presence of poliovirus in the sewage system. The government continues its efforts without what critics describe as a fully effective strategy, administering polio drops to children and sending “all is well” reports to the World Health Organization (WHO).
During the past decade, Punjab reported fewer cases compared to other provinces, but complete eradication has not been achieved. From 2015 to January 2026, a total of over 117 cases were recorded. Between 2015 and 2018, the annual number ranged between 15 and 20 cases. In 2019, when cases increased nationwide, Punjab also saw more than 17 cases. In 2020, Lahore reported five cases.
In 2021, only one case was reported in Pakistan, and it was from Punjab. In 2022, no major case was reported in Punjab, though the virus remained present. In 2023, no cases were reported, but environmental samples still tested positive. In 2024, more than 60 cases were reported nationwide, with many linked to Punjab. In 2025, two cases were reported in Punjab, and by January 2026, one case had been reported.
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Environmental surveillance is used in Pakistan to detect poliovirus by testing sewage samples. In Lahore, despite fewer cases in recent years, the virus has been intermittently detected in sewage. In 2022, four environmental samples from Lahore tested positive. In 2023, the virus was found in areas including Gulshan-e-Ravi and Multan Road.
In 2025, environmental samples from cities including Rawalpindi, Faisalabad, Gujranwala, Bahawalpur, Sargodha, Multan, Dera Ghazi Khan, Layyah, and Rajanpur also tested positive. In January this year, samples from Lahore’s Outfall Road and Gulshan-e-Ravi again confirmed the virus. These environmental findings show that poliovirus circulation has not completely stopped.
Public policy advisor Salman Abid stated that health and education had never been a priority of the PML-N government. “Detection of the virus in environmental samples is a warning sign. Despite 14 years of rule in Punjab, no effective grassroots measures have been taken other than repeated vaccination campaigns three to four times a year to satisfy WHO reporting requirements,” claimed Abid.
Conversely, a spokesperson for the Punjab Health Department stated that the government was taking strong steps toward making Punjab completely polio-free and had achieved considerable success. In recent years, only sporadic cases have been reported.
A Polio Eradication Program spokesperson assured that Punjab was closer than ever to eliminating polio, with only one case reported in 2026. “Environmental detection has fallen from 43 per cent to 15 per cent, and 99 per cent household coverage was achieved during immunization drives. Efforts now focus on reaching the remaining two to three per cent of children,” said the official.
On the other hand, Abid emphasized that the government must work at the grassroots level to eradicate polio completely. “This includes repeated vaccination of every child, improving sanitation and sewage systems, and involving district administrations and communities. Polio eradication is not just a government program but a collective responsibility,” noted Abid.