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       ISLAMABAD: Pakis-tan has reported another polio case from Khyber Pakhtun-khwa (KP), brin-ging the total number of cases in the country for 2025 to 14.

       The Regional Reference Laboratory for Polio Erad-ication at the National Ins-titute of Health (NIH) has confirmed the latest polio case from District North Waziristan in southern KP.

       “A 19-month-old boy from Union Council Mir-an-shah-3, District North Waziristan, has been confirmed as the eighth polio case from KP this year. With this latest detection, the total number of polio cases in Pakistan in 2025 has reached 14 — including eight from KP, four from Sindh, and one each from Punjab and Gilgit-Baltistan,” an official from the laboratory said.

       “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 (OPV) for every child under the age of five during each campaign, along with timely completion of all essential immunisations,” he said.

       “While nationwide efforts to eradicate polio continue to improve the quality of vaccination campaigns, the southern districts of KP remain a major concern due to limited access and challenges in conducting house-to-house vaccination. These obstacles result in missed opportunities, leaving thousands of children unvaccinated and vulnerable to poliovirus,” the official said.

       “A special vaccination activity was conducted in six union councils of Bannu from June 23 to 28, during which 17,485 children received the Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV). A similar targeted vaccination drive is being planned in 11 union councils of North Waziristan.

       “Additionally, preparations are underway for a large-scale special vaccination campaign in southern KP, scheduled for August,” he further said.

       “Recent polio cases in sou-thern KP are a stark reminder that children missed during vaccination campaigns rem-ain at serious risk. While the programme is making every effort to reach every child, the role of parents is critical. Ensuring every child receives every dose of the polio vaccine is not just important — it’s urgent,” he emphasised.

       Published in Dawn, July 2nd, 2025