Pakistan reports seventh polio case of 2025

ISLAMABAD: The Regional Reference Laboratory for Polio Eradication at the National Institute of Health (NIH) has confirmed a polio case from District Torghar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

This is the second polio case from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the seventh case from Pakistan at large this year.

The second nationwide (NID) Polio campaign of the year is currently in progress in the country from April 21 to 27, aiming to vaccinate 45.4 million children under the age of five across the country.

This will be followed by another nationwide campaign from May 26 to June 1.

District Torghar is included in both these vaccination campaigns, along with all other districts of the country.

The Programme is making an urgent appeal to parents to ensure your children receive repeated doses of the polio vaccine to protect them from the crippling poliovirus.

The ongoing polio campaign is a critical opportunity to safeguard children against this disease.

Also read: Afghanistan outpacing Pakistan in polio eradication efforts: Health Minister

The case reported at the time when Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif formally launched the seven-day nationwide anti-polio campaign by administering polio drops to children.

Speaking on the occasion, he urged parents to cooperate with anti-polio field teams to ensure their children’s vaccination and help completely eradicate the poliovirus from the country.

The Prime Minister expressed confidence in Pakistan’s ability to eliminate polio through collective efforts. He further said that comprehensive and effective security arrangements have been made to protect polio teams.

Besides, he emphasized the importance of public awareness and mobilization in the fight against the poliovirus.

The Prime Minister also extended his gratitude to international partners, including the World Health Organization and the Gates Foundation, for their continued support in the government’s efforts to eradicate polio from Pakistan.