Islamabad: The Regional Reference Laboratory for Polio Eradication at the National Institute of Health (NIH) Islamabad has confirmed a new polio case from District Bannu, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
This marks the third polio case reported from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa this year and the eighth case overall across Pakistan in 2025, signaling the persistent challenge the country faces in eradicating the virus.
Meanwhile, the second nationwide polio vaccination campaign of the year is currently underway, running from April 21 to April 27. The campaign aims to vaccinate approximately 45.4 million children under the age of five across Pakistan. Following this drive, another nationwide campaign is scheduled from May 26 to June 1.
The Polio Eradication Programme has made an urgent appeal to parents, emphasizing the critical importance of repeated vaccination: "Ensure your children receive multiple doses of the polio vaccine to protect them from the crippling poliovirus." Officials stress that the ongoing campaign presents a vital opportunity to safeguard Pakistan’s children against this preventable disease.
