KARACHI:
The National Emergency Operations Center for Polio Eradication (NEOC) on Thursday confirmed Pakistan’s first wild polio case of 2026 in a four-year-old child from Sujawal district of Sindh.
The case was reported through the Polio Surveillance Network and confirmed by the Regional Reference Laboratory for Polio Eradication at the National Institute of Health (NIH), Islamabad. The Polio Eradication Initiative (PEI) is assessing the best response to prevent further transmission.
Since 1994, Pakistan has reduced polio cases by 99.8%, from an estimated 20,000 cases in the early 1990s to 31 cases in 2025, thanks to a widespread vaccination effort. By 2026, over 45 million children were reached through a nationwide polio campaign, with the next national effort planned for April.
By 2025, PEI conducted five nationwide campaigns along with targeted vaccination rounds and routine immunization integration.
While overall detection has declined compared to 2024, virus circulation continues in high-risk districts of Sindh and southern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, underscoring the need for continued, targeted vaccination campaigns.
Read: Why 40,000 Karachi Families Refused the Polio Vaccine
Polio is a highly contagious disease that can cause lifelong paralysis and death, but is preventable through safe and effective vaccines used in 195 countries, including all Muslim-majority nations.
Wild poliovirus is the naturally occurring form of poliovirus that spreads from person to person, mainly through contaminated food, water or contact with infected individuals. It can attack the nervous system and in severe cases cause permanent paralysis or death. A wild case of polio refers to an infection caused by this naturally circulating virus, as opposed to rare cases associated with vaccine-derived strains.
PEI urged parents and caregivers to ensure children receive all recommended doses and called on communities, religious leaders and the media to promote vaccination and counter misinformation.
“Eradicating polio is within reach, but it requires a collective effort. Every child must be vaccinated to prevent disability and death,” PEI said, stressing continued commitment to a polio-free Pakistan and world.
