Pakistan has reported its first polio case in 2025 from Dera Ismail Khan (DI Khan) in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, according to an official statement released on Wednesday. The case was confirmed by the laboratory on Wednesday, with the onset of symptoms dated January 7, Express News reported.
DI Khan had reported 11 polio cases in 2024. Last year, a total of 73 polio cases were recorded nationwide, with the majority from Balochistan (27 cases), followed by KP (22), Sindh (22) and one case each from Punjab and Islamabad.
Polio, a debilitating and incurable disease, can be prevented through multiple doses of the oral polio vaccine. The Pakistan Polio Program conducts regular vaccination campaigns to ensure that children under the age of five are immunized against the disease.
In addition, the Expanded Program on Immunization offers free vaccinations against 12 childhood diseases at health facilities. To continue the fight against polio, Pakistan’s first nationwide vaccination campaign in 2025 is scheduled for 3-9. February 2025.
