In October 2025, Pakistan’s extensive environmental surveillance network collected 127 sewage samples from 87 districts nationwide. Testing conducted at the Regional Reference Laboratory for Polio Eradication at the National Institute of Health, Islamabad, confirmed 77 samples as negative and 47 as positive. Three samples are currently under process in the lab. Province wise details are given below:

  • Balochistan: 19 negative, 4 positive
  • Khyber Pakhtunkhwa: 23 negative, 10 positive, 1 under process
  • Punjab: 20 negative, 11 positive
  • Sindh: 7 negative, 21 positive, 1 under process
  • Islamabad: 4 negative, 1 positive
  • Azad Jammu & Kashmir: 3 negative
  • Gilgit-Baltistan: 1 negative, 1 under process

While the overall trend indicates a decline in positive detections, reflecting the impact of recent high-quality vaccination campaigns, virus circulation persists in certain high-risk areas. These detections highlight the continued need for strong, targeted efforts to interrupt transmission.

The Pakistan Polio Eradication Programme is intensifying efforts to sustain comprehensive vaccination coverage and ensure the highest quality campaigns in vulnerable areas. The National Task Force has endorsed the 2025–26 roadmap to interrupt poliovirus transmission through multiple supplementary immunization activities and the strengthening of routine immunization systems.

As part of this roadmap, the fourth nationwide polio vaccination campaign of 2025 was successfully conducted in October vaccinating over 45 million children under the age of five. Vitamin A supplements were also administered to children to help boost their immunity.

A special FIPV campaign is underway in selected Lahore UCs (3–12 Nov), alongside a case-response campaign in Torghar (10–13 Nov), strengthening efforts to protect children from polio. The next nationwide campaign is scheduled for mid-December.

To further strengthen children’s immunity, a national Measles-Rubella vaccination campaign will be conducted across Pakistan from 17 to 29 November 2025, protecting all children aged 6 months to 5 years against measles and rubella. During this campaign, polio drops will also be administered in 89 districts. Parents are urged to ensure that all children under five receive two drops of the polio vaccine along with the MR vaccine. Both the Measles-Rubella and Oral Polio Vaccine will be available at selected health facilities, community outreach points, and schools, ensuring that every child has access to life-saving protection.

To build lasting protection, the government continues to provide free routine immunization services for all children up to 15 months of age. Together, routine immunization and repeated polio vaccination campaigns offer the strongest defense against the poliovirus.

The health and wellbeing of Pakistan’s children is a shared national responsibility. While frontline health workers continue to work tirelessly to reach every child, it is equally important for parents and caregivers to ensure that their children receive all recommended doses of the vaccine. Communities, teachers, religious leaders, and the media also play a crucial role in promoting vaccination, countering misinformation, and fostering collective action. Together, Pakistan can secure a polio-free future for every child.

For more information, please contact the Sehat Tahaffuz Helpline at 1166 or the Polio Helpline via WhatsApp at 0346-7776546.

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