Islamabad: The National Institute of Health announced on Wednesday the detection of the second case of wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) in Pakistan for the year 2025. The case was confirmed after samples collected from the Badin district in Sindh were tested at a laboratory in Islamabad. Earlier this year, the first case was reported from the Dera Ismail Khan district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Last year, the country recorded a total of 74 polio cases. These included 27 from Balochistan, 23 from Sindh, 22 from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and one each from Punjab and Islamabad. Polio is a debilitating disease that can cause paralysis and currently has no cure. It is crucial for all children under the age of five to receive multiple doses of the polio vaccine to build strong immunity against the virus.
A representative from the National Health Institute’s Regional Reference Laboratory emphasized the importance of vaccination campaigns. “The Pakistan Polio Program conducts numerous campaigns annually, delivering vaccines directly to children’s homes. Additionally, the Expanded Program on Immunization offers free vaccinations at healthcare facilities, protecting against 12 childhood diseases,” the official stated. The representative urged parents to ensure that all children under five are vaccinated to safeguard them from this dangerous disease.
Polio primarily attacks the nervous system and can lead to paralysis or death. While there is no treatment available, vaccination remains the most effective prevention method. Repeated vaccination efforts have saved millions of children worldwide from polio, and nearly all countries have eradicated the disease except for Pakistan and Afghanistan.
