North Waziristan: The Regional Reference Laboratory for Polio Eradication at the National Institute of Health (NIH), Islamabad, has confirmed a new case of wild poliovirus from District North Waziristan, further intensifying concerns over the virus’s persistence in southern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The latest victim is a 19-month-old boy from Union Council Miranshah-3 in North Waziristan. This marks the eighth polio case reported from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa this year, bringing the national total to 14 in 2025 — with four cases from Sindh, one each from Punjab and Gilgit-Baltistan, in addition to those from KP.
Polio is a highly contagious and incurable disease that can lead to permanent paralysis or death. The only effective defense is repeated doses of the oral polio vaccine (OPV) for all children under the age of five, coupled with full adherence to Pakistan’s essential immunization schedule.
Despite significant strides in the national eradication programme, southern KP remains a hotspot, plagued by access issues and operational challenges that hinder house-to-house vaccination efforts. Thousands of children continue to miss critical doses, leaving them unprotected against the virus.
In response, a special vaccination drive was held in six union councils of Bannu from June 23–28, reaching 17,485 children with the OPV. A similar campaign is now being planned in 11 union councils of North Waziristan, with an even broader vaccination effort scheduled across South KP in August.
Health officials stress that every missed child is at risk — and puts others at risk. While frontline workers go door-to-door delivering life-saving vaccines, community engagement and parental commitment are key to achieving eradication.
“Polio eradication is a shared responsibility,” officials said. “The virus survives only when children remain unvaccinated. It’s not just important to vaccinate — it’s urgent.”
Health authorities urge all parents and caregivers to ensure their children receive every polio dose during each campaign. With consistent community cooperation, Pakistan remains within reach of eliminating polio — but only if no child is left behind.
