ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has reported its fourth polio case of 2026 after the National Emergency Operations Center (NEOC) for Polio Eradication confirmed a new case from Bannu District in southern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
According to the NEOC, three of the four polio cases reported in the country this year have emerged from Bannu Division, where security-related access constraints continue to prevent vaccination teams from consistently reaching children.
The latest case has been detected in a child from Nurar Union Council of Tehsil Miryan, where vaccination teams have faced difficulties in reaching children since 2025 due to insecurity. Health authorities warned that missed vaccination opportunities have allowed wild poliovirus to continue circulating in the area.
The Pakistan Polio Eradication Initiative has urged parents and caregivers to ensure that all eligible children receive polio drops during the upcoming nationwide door-to-door vaccination campaign scheduled from September 21 to 27, as well as in every subsequent campaign.
Pakistan has reduced polio cases by 99.8 percent, from an estimated 20,000 cases in the early 1990s to 31 cases in 2025. Four cases have so far been reported in 2026, with most concentrated in southern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Although overall poliovirus transmission has declined compared with 2025, persistent transmission in southern KP remains a major concern.
Authorities said Pakistan has already conducted three large-scale polio vaccination campaigns during 2026, reaching more than 45 million children multiple times. Smaller targeted oral and injectable vaccination activities have also been carried out in high-risk areas.
The next national campaign, scheduled for September 21 to 27, aims to vaccinate nearly 31 million children, including children living in high-risk areas of southern KP.
Polio is a highly contagious and incurable disease that can cause lifelong paralysis and, in some cases, death. However, it can be prevented through vaccination. Health authorities stressed that repeated doses are essential to build and maintain children's immunity against the virus.
The NEOC emphasized that no child is safe from polio until every child is protected, calling for continued surveillance, uninterrupted vaccination efforts and greater cooperation from communities.
Parents, caregivers, religious leaders, communities and the media were also urged to support vaccination efforts, counter misinformation and help frontline polio workers reach every eligible child.
