• Pakistan’s National Emergency Operations Center for Polio Eradication (NEOC) today confirmed the first wild polio case of 2026 in a four-year-old child from Bello Union Council, Sujawal district, Sindh.
  • The case was reported through the polio surveillance network and confirmed by the Regional Reference Laboratory for Polio Eradication at the National Institute of Health (NIH), Islamabad.
  • The Polio Eradication Initiative (PEI) is already analyzing the best response to tackle and prevent further transmission.
  • Despite challenges, eradicating the global public threat of polio in Pakistan and worldwide is within reach, and the PEI continues to intensify its efforts to leave no child behind. Since 1994, thanks to polio vaccines, Pakistan has reduced polio cases by 99.8% – from 20,000 estimated cases in the early 1990s to 31 in 2025.
  • In 2026, Pakistan has already implemented a nationwide polio campaign that protected over 45 million children, while the next national campaign is planned in April. In 2025, Pakistan’s PEI carried out five nationwide campaigns, in addition to targeted rounds of oral and injectable polio vaccination and integrated activities with the national routine immunization programme.
  • While the overall trend shows a decline in poliovirus detections compared to 2024, reflecting the impact of high-quality vaccination campaigns conducted in 2025, virus circulation persists in certain high-risk areas including districts of Sindh and southern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. These detections underscore the continued need for robust, targeted efforts to interrupt transmission and consistent vaccination for children.
  • Polio is a highly contagious and incurable disease that can cause lifelong paralysis and death. However, the disease can be prevented thanks to polio vaccines, which are safe and effective and have been safely used in 195 countries, including all Muslim countries.
  • Polio eradication is a collective responsibility. While Pakistan’s dedicated frontline workers ensure that vaccines reach every child, parents and caregivers play a crucial role by making sure their children receive all recommended doses, including routine immunizations. The PEI urges all parents and caregivers to ensure that their children are vaccinated during every campaign to protect them from lifelong disability and/or death.
  • Communities, religious leaders, and the media also play a vital role in promoting vaccination, countering misinformation, and ensuring that every child in Pakistan is protected. Together, we can achieve a polio-free future for every child, in Pakistan and worldwide.

*********

Note for the Editor:

Polio is a highly infectious disease caused by poliovirus mainly affecting children under the age of five years. It invades the nervous system and can cause paralysis or even death. While there is no cure for polio, vaccination is the most effective way to protect children from this disease. Each time a child under the age of five is vaccinated, their protection against the virus is increased. Repeated immunisations have protected millions of children from polio, allowing almost all countries in the world to become polio-free, besides the two endemic countries of Pakistan and Afghanistan.

For further information, please contact: Mr. Syed Farhan Shah, Public Relations Officer, NEOC, +923165011808, syed.farhanshah1990@gmail.com