KARACHI:
The National Emergency Operations Center for Polio Eradication (NEOC) on Thursday confirmed Pakistan’s first case of wild polio in 2026 in a four-year-old child from Sujawal district of 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. The Polio Eradication Initiative (PEI) is evaluating the best response to prevent further transmission.
Since 1994, Pakistan has reduced polio cases by 99.8%, from around 20,000 cases in the early 1990s to 31 cases in 2025, thanks to widespread vaccination efforts. By 2026, more than 45 million children have been reached through a national polio campaign, with the next national campaign scheduled for April.
In 2025, Prince Edward Island conducted five national campaigns as well as rounds of targeted vaccination and the integration of routine immunization.
Although overall detections have decreased compared to 2024, circulation of the virus persists in high-risk districts of Sindh and southern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, highlighting the need for continued and targeted vaccination campaigns.
Read: Why 40,000 families in Karachi refused the polio vaccine
Polio is a highly contagious disease that can cause lifelong paralysis and death, but is preventable with safe and effective vaccines used in 195 countries, including all Muslim-majority countries.
Wild poliovirus is the naturally occurring form of the polio virus that spreads from person to person, primarily through contaminated food or water or through contact with infected people. It can attack the nervous system and, in severe cases, cause permanent paralysis or even death. A case of wild polio refers to an infection caused by this naturally circulating virus, as opposed to rare cases linked to vaccine-derived strains.
Prince Edward Island urged parents and guardians to ensure children receive all recommended doses and called on communities, faith leaders and the media to promote vaccination and combat misinformation.
“Eradicating polio is within our reach, but it requires a collective effort. Every child must be immunized to prevent disability and death,” PEI said, highlighting the continued commitment to a polio-free Pakistan and world.
