Two new cases of polio takes nationwide tally to 29 in Pakistan

Badin [Pakistan], September 30 (ANI): Two new cases of poliovirus have been confirmed in the Badin and Thatta districts of Pakistan's Sindh province, according to a report by DAWN on Monday.

According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the nationwide tally of poliovirus cases in Pakistan has risen to 29. The development has come days after poliovirus case was confirmed in Sindh's Hyderabad.

"With these two cases, both girls, the total number of polio cases in Pakistan in 2025 has reached 29, including 18 from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, nine from Sindh, and one each from Punjab and Gilgit-Baltistan," NIH said in a statement, as per the Dawn.

In its statement, the NIH mentioned that a sub-national polio vaccination campaign was conducted across 88 districts of Pakistan. Meanwhile, the next polio vaccination campaign is scheduled to take place between October 13 and 19.

"The campaign successfully reached nearly 21 million children under the age of five. During the campaign, Vitamin A will also be administered alongside the oral polio vaccine (OPV) to boost children's immunity levels. More than 400,000 dedicated frontline workers will go door-to-door to ensure that every eligible child receives this essential protection," the statement from NIH said.

The National Institutes of Health mentioned that the campaigns were aimed towards rapidly boosting children's immunity to strengthen their protection as part of ongoing efforts to eradicate polio from Pakistan.

"Rapidly boosting children's immunity and strengthening protection as part of Pakistan's ongoing efforts to eradicate polio. Polio eradication is a shared responsibility. While dedicated frontline polio workers deliver vaccines, parents and caregivers must ensure their children receive all recommended doses, including routine immunisations," the statement said.

In 2024, the country reported at least 71 polio cases, with the virus detected in around 90 districts, as per Dawn.

Polio is a highly infectious and incurable disease that can cause lifelong paralysis. The only effective protection is through repeated doses of the oral polio vaccine for every child under five during each campaign, along with the timely completion of all essential immunisations, Dawn reported. (ANI)

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