Pakistan’s Polio Tally Rises to 12 with New Case in Bannu
A new case of wild poliovirus has been reported in Union Council Shams Khel of Bannu district, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P), raising Pakistan’s total polio count to 12 in 2025, health officials confirmed on Friday. This marks the sixth reported case from K-P this year, underlining the region’s vulnerability to the virus.
Bannu, located in southern K-P, continues to pose a significant challenge for the country’s polio eradication efforts due to a combination of factors, including vaccine hesitancy, misinformation, and limited access to healthcare in remote communities.
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The latest case follows a recent confirmation of wild poliovirus in Diamer, Gilgit-Baltistan — the first ever reported from the region — highlighting the spread of the virus beyond historically high-risk zones. So far this year, Sindh has reported four cases, while Punjab and Gilgit-Baltistan have recorded one each. The remaining six are from various districts across southern K-P.
Despite decades of efforts and billions of dollars in international support, Pakistan remains one of only two countries in the world where polio continues to be classified as an endemic viral infection, alongside Afghanistan. The persistence of the virus in Pakistan is closely tied to gaps in immunisation coverage, especially in rural and underserved areas, where distrust in vaccination campaigns and logistical barriers frequently interrupt access.
So far in 2025, three national polio vaccination drives have been conducted, reaching nearly 45 million children under the age of five. More than 400,000 frontline workers — including over 225,000 female health workers — have participated in door-to-door campaigns across the country.
Health experts stress that the disease, which has no cure, can only be prevented through consistent immunisation. “Even a single missed dose can leave a child vulnerable to irreversible paralysis,” a health official warned, urging parents to ensure full compliance with scheduled vaccinations.
Pakistan’s journey to eliminate polio has seen periods of progress, with cases dropping to as low as one or two in recent years. However, recurring outbreaks — especially in high-risk districts like Bannu — underscore the need for sustained public awareness, uninterrupted campaigns, and community trust to finally eradicate the virus.
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