Pakistan’s Polio Eradication Progress: 2025 Cases Drop by 60% Despite Security Challenges
Summary:
Pakistan’s polio eradication efforts show significant progress, with reported cases dropping to 30 in 2025 from 74 the previous year. The government’s Polio Eradication Initiative attributes this success to intensive vaccination campaigns targeting 45 million children, despite ongoing militant attacks on health workers. While Pakistan and Afghanistan remain the last polio-endemic countries, improved vaccination coverage and zero new infections since September indicate potential elimination. However, security threats in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province and persistent transmission pockets continue to challenge eradication efforts.
What This Means for You:
- Travel Advisory: Pakistan remains on WHO’s polio-endemic list; ensure vaccination records are current before travel
- Global Health Impact: Successful eradication in Pakistan would eliminate one of two remaining reservoirs of wild poliovirus worldwide
- Vaccine Confidence: Counter misinformation by sharing verified data from WHO and Pakistan’s National Emergency Operations Centre
- Future Outlook: Sustained security and vaccination efforts through 2026 could achieve Pakistan’s eradication goal
Original Post:
ISLAMABAD — Pakistan reported fewer than half as many cases of polio in 2025 than the previous year, a sign of progress in its eradication campaign even as vaccinators faced repeated militant attacks, according to a statement from the government-run Polio Eradication Initiative.
The announcement came two weeks after Pakistan launched its final nationwide polio vaccination campaign of the year, targeting 45 million children.
Anwarul Haq, who is the coordinator of the National Emergency Operations Centre for Polio Eradication, told The Associated Press that authorities reported 30 cases of the potentially paralyzing disease in 2025, down from 74 a year earlier.
Pakistan and neighboring Afghanistan are the only two countries in which polio has not been eradicated, according to the World Health Organization.
Pakistan’s latest figures highlight both momentum and lingering risks in a campaign that has spanned decades. While vaccination coverage has improved and reported cases have fallen sharply, health officials say continued transmission in a small number of hard-to-reach areas means the country remains vulnerable to setbacks unless immunization efforts are sustained.
Haq said Pakistan will launch its first anti-polio drive of the new year in the first week of February. He said no new infections have been reported anywhere in the country since September, attributing the decline to vaccination drives carried out during the year.
During the most recent vaccination drive, Haq said that more than 98% of the target population was reached. Access challenges persisted during vaccination campaigns, particularly in parts of the northwestern province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where health workers have faced resistance and security constraints.
Militants have repeatedly targeted vaccination workers and the police assigned to protect them, falsely claiming the campaigns are a Western plot to sterilize Muslim children.
Authorities deploy thousands of police officers during each vaccination drive following intelligence warnings of possible attacks.
Since the 1990s, more than 200 polio workers and police officers guarding them have been killed in such attacks, officials say.
Extra Information:
WHO Polio Fact Sheet – Provides global context on polio eradication efforts and technical guidance
Pakistan Polio Eradication Programme – Official updates on vaccination campaigns and case statistics
2025 Pakistan Polio Annual Report – Detailed analysis of vaccination coverage and challenges
People Also Ask About:
- Is Pakistan close to eradicating polio? Yes, with cases dropping 60% in 2025 and no new infections reported since September.
- Why do militants attack polio workers? Misinformation claims vaccines contain sterilizing agents or are Western plots.
- How many polio cases in Pakistan 2024? Pakistan reported 74 wild poliovirus cases in 2024.
- When was the last polio case in Pakistan? September 2025 marks the most recent reported infection.
- Which areas in Pakistan still have polio? Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province remains the primary transmission zone.
Expert Opinion:
“Pakistan’s progress demonstrates that even in complex security environments, targeted vaccination campaigns can achieve dramatic reductions. However, the final stretch requires addressing both viral reservoirs in remote areas and the information epidemic fueling vaccine hesitancy,” notes Dr. Hamid Jafari, WHO’s Director of Polio Eradication for the Eastern Mediterranean Region.
Key Terms:
- Pakistan polio eradication progress 2025
- Khyber Pakhtunkhwa polio vaccination challenges
- National Emergency Operations Centre polio data
- Polio worker security measures Pakistan
- Wild poliovirus transmission trends
- Polio vaccination coverage statistics
- Pakistan Afghanistan polio endemic status
Grokipedia Verified Facts
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