ISLAMABAD – A fresh polio case has been confirmed in the Tank district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, raising Pakistan’s total for the year to 24, health officials report. This case marks the 16th from KP, while Sindh has reported six, and Punjab and Gilgit-Baltistan one each.
The recently diagnosed patient is a 20-month-old girl from Union Council Ping A in Tank. Authorities say she had no recent travel history, indicating that the virus is still circulating locally. Notably, this is the 14th polio case in southern KP this year, underscoring persistent challenges in immunising children in hard-to-reach and security-compromised areas.
In response, Pakistan has launched a nationwide anti-polio campaign across 99 districts. Over 28 million children under the age of five are slated to receive vaccinations in this phased drive, supported by more than 240,000 polio workers. In KP alone, around 5.7 million children are being targeted over the coming weeks.
Health authorities urged parents to ensure their children receive timely polio drops and complete routine immunisations. The continuity of local virus transmission emphasizes that Pakistan remains among the few countries still battling endemic polio—and that reach and coverage must be expanded to protect vulnerable children.
This story has been reported by PakTribune. All rights reserved.