Pakistan’s health authorities reported the country’s 11th polio case of the year, the first in Gilgit-Baltistan’s Diamer district, confirmed by the NIH’s Polio Eradication Laboratory. This case follows Pakistan’s recent nationwide polio vaccination campaign, which covered over 45 million children under five across 159 districts.
Despite ongoing efforts, including multiple vaccination drives and community outreach, Pakistan and Afghanistan remain the last two countries where polio is still endemic. Health experts stress the importance of continued immunisation, especially as Pakistan recorded 74 cases in 2024.
A health official from Pakistan’s polio programme called the case a stark reminder of the ongoing threat, urging parents to ensure their children complete vaccinations. Meanwhile, a tragic attack last week in Nushki, Balochistan, left a police officer dead and another injured while escorting a polio team.