Islamabad, December 30, 2024: Pakistan’s polio case tally for the year reached 68 after a new case of wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) was confirmed in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Dera Ismail Khan district. This marks the 10th case from the region, according to the National Institute of Health’s (NIH) Regional Reference Laboratory for Polio Eradication in Islamabad.
“Pakistan is actively responding to the resurgence of WPV1 this year. Parents must ensure their children under five receive vaccinations to stay protected,” emphasized a statement from the national polio eradication program.
Polio, a paralyzing disease with no cure, requires comprehensive vaccination campaigns to protect children. Authorities continue to stress the importance of multiple doses of the oral polio vaccine and completing routine immunization schedules to boost immunity.
The nationwide total includes 27 cases in Balochistan, 20 in KP, 19 in Sindh, and one each in Punjab and Islamabad. A sub-national vaccination campaign conducted from December 16–22 successfully immunized over 42 million children across Punjab, Sindh, KP, Azad Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan, and Islamabad.
In Balochistan, the campaign faced delays due to security concerns and a boycott by provincial health staff. However, the second phase resumed on Monday to address these challenges.
Pakistan and Afghanistan remain the last polio-endemic countries, underscoring the ongoing hurdles in global eradication efforts.
