- The government launches a national campaign against polio.
- 45 million children targeted to be vaccinated against poliovirus.
- Pakistan reported one case of wild poliovirus this year.
A policeman deployed to protect an anti-polio team was martyred and four others were injured when unidentified assailants opened fire on them in Hangu, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa state, on Monday.
Hangu SDPO Mujahid Hussain said the attack targeted a police van carrying a team of five people tasked with providing security for a polio vaccination team in the Chapri Waziran area. All the police officers were shot and wounded during the shootout, but one of them died of his injuries, he revealed.
The other injured were transferred to a medical facility, the SDPO added.
Pakistan’s polio program today officially launched its second National Immunization Day (NID) campaign of 2026, aiming to make Pakistan a polio-free nation.
This five-day national campaign aims to vaccinate more than 45 million children under the age of five. The effort is seen as a decisive step in the country’s final effort to stop poliovirus transmission and achieve its eradication by the end of 2025.
The NEOC last month confirmed the first wild polio case of 2026 in a four-year-old child from Bello Union Council, Sujawal district, Sindh.
The case was reported by the Polio Surveillance Network and confirmed by the Regional Reference Laboratory for Polio Eradication at the National Institute of Health (NIH), Islamabad.
In Pakistan and neighboring Afghanistan – the only countries where polio remains endemic – militants have for decades targeted vaccination teams and their security escorts.
Over the past decade, hundreds of police and health workers have been killed by militants.
Polio, a highly infectious virus that mainly affects children under five, can cause permanent paralysis but is easily prevented by oral administration of a few drops of vaccine.
The Polio Eradication Initiative (PEI) is already analyzing the best response to combat and prevent further transmission.
Despite the challenges, eradicating the global public menace of polio in Pakistan and around the world is within reach, and Prince Edward Island continues to step up its efforts to leave no child behind. Since 1994, thanks to polio vaccines, Pakistan has reduced polio cases by 99.8%, from an estimated 20,000 cases in the early 1990s to 31 in 2025.
In 2025, Prince Edward Island in Pakistan conducted five nationwide campaigns, in addition to targeted oral and injectable polio vaccination series and activities integrated into the national routine immunization program.
Although the overall trend shows a decline in poliovirus detections compared to 2024, reflecting the impact of high-quality vaccination campaigns conducted in 2025, virus circulation persists in some high-risk areas, including the districts of Sindh and southern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP).
These detections highlight the continued need for robust and targeted efforts to interrupt transmission and ensure consistent childhood immunization.
Polio is a highly contagious and incurable disease that can cause permanent paralysis and death. However, the disease can be prevented with polio vaccines, which are safe and effective and have been used safely in 195 countries, including all Muslim countries.
Polio eradication is a collective responsibility. While Pakistan’s dedicated frontline workers ensure every child is vaccinated, parents and guardians play a crucial role in ensuring their children receive all recommended doses, including routine immunizations.
Prince Edward Island urges all parents and guardians to ensure their children are vaccinated during each campaign to protect them from permanent disability and/or death.
Communities, religious leaders and the media also play a vital role in promoting vaccination, countering misinformation and ensuring that every child in Pakistan is protected. Together, we can achieve a polio-free future for every child, in Pakistan and around the world.
