KARACHI: Pakistan’s National Emergency Operations Center (NEOC) for Polio Eradication has confirmed the first wild poliovirus case of 2026 in a four-year-old child from Bello Union Council in Sujawal district, Sindh.
According to officials, the case was detected through the country’s polio surveillance network and later confirmed by the Regional Reference Laboratory for Polio Eradication at the National Institute of Health (NIH) in Islamabad.
Health authorities said the Polio Eradication Initiative (PEI) is currently analyzing the situation and preparing an appropriate response to prevent further transmission of the virus in the affected area.
Despite ongoing challenges, officials said Pakistan has made significant progress in the fight against polio over the past three decades. Since 1994, the country has reduced polio cases by 99.8 percent—from an estimated 20,000 cases annually in the early 1990s to 31 reported cases in 2025.
In 2026, Pakistan has already conducted a nationwide polio vaccination campaign that protected more than 45 million children. The next national immunization campaign is scheduled for April.
During 2025, the Polio Eradication Initiative conducted five nationwide campaigns, along with several targeted vaccination rounds using both oral and injectable polio vaccines. These efforts were also integrated with the country’s routine immunization programme.
Health officials noted that although poliovirus detections have declined compared to 2024, virus circulation still persists in certain high-risk areas, particularly in districts of Sindh and southern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Authorities stressed that these detections highlight the need for continued targeted vaccination efforts and strong surveillance to interrupt virus transmission.
Polio is a highly contagious and incurable disease that can cause lifelong paralysis and, in severe cases, death. However, it can be prevented through vaccination. Polio vaccines are considered safe and effective and have been used in 195 countries, including all Muslim-majority nations.
The Polio Eradication Initiative urged parents and caregivers to ensure their children receive all recommended doses of the vaccine during every immunization campaign as well as through routine immunization services.
Officials also emphasized that communities, religious leaders, and the media have a critical role to play in promoting vaccination, countering misinformation, and supporting efforts to protect every child from the disease.
