LAKKI MARWAT – Pakistan’s confirmed polio cases for 2025 have reached 10, following the detection of two new wild poliovirus cases in Lakki Marwat and Bannu districts of southern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, as confirmed by the Regional Reference Laboratory at the National Institute of Health (NIH).
The breakdown includes five cases from KP, four from Sindh, and one from Punjab.
Despite ongoing nationwide vaccination efforts, health authorities report persistent challenges in southern KP, including limited access and difficulties in conducting door-to-door campaigns. These issues have left many children unvaccinated and vulnerable to the virus.
In Lakki Marwat’s UC Bakhmal Ahmad Zai, children missed vaccinations during the February and April 2025 campaigns. In Bannu’s UC Saintanga, Tehsil Wazir, no full campaign has been held since October 2023. A shortage of female vaccinators and weak monitoring have further widened immunity gaps.
The Pakistan Polio Eradication Programme (PPEP) is working with stakeholders to resolve these operational and access issues. A more intensive vaccination strategy is underway to halt virus transmission and protect children from lifelong paralysis.
The third nationwide polio drive of 2025 begins on May 26, aiming to vaccinate over 45.4 million children under five in 159 districts, with a focus on high-risk regions like southern KP.
Polio remains a highly contagious, incurable disease. Repeated doses of the oral vaccine are vital to protecting children. PPEP urges all parents to ensure their children receive every dose to strengthen immunity and prevent paralysis.
