Polio cases in Pakistan decline have recorded a sharp and closely watched drop, falling from 74 in 2024 to 31 in 2025 and just four so far in 2026, according to government figures presented at a high-level review meeting. The same data shows that positivity rates in environmental surveillance samples have also fallen below 10 percent, a development officials described as evidence that nationwide vaccination efforts are gaining traction.
The figures were presented at a meeting of the Prime Minister’s Committee on the National Taskforce for Polio Eradication, chaired by Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Minister Prof. Ahsan Iqbal. The planning minister also formally launched the latest nationwide vaccination campaign and reaffirmed the government’s resolve to continue national efforts until poliovirus transmission was completely stopped.
Three of the four cases recorded this year were reported in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, highlighting the areas where health authorities say continued efforts are needed. The meeting was attended by Health Minister Syed Mustafa Kamal, Prime Minister’s Focal Person on Polio Eradication Ayesha Raza Farooq, representatives of provincial governments and development partners, as well as officials from the World Health Organization, UNICEF, the Pakistan PolioPlus Committee and Rotary.
In his opening remarks, Ahsan Iqbal described polio eradication as a national responsibility and called on parents to ensure that all eligible children received the vaccine. “When a polio worker knocks on your door, do not ignore that knock. It is the knock of your child’s future,” he said, urging religious scholars, community leaders and opinion-makers to counter misinformation and strengthen public confidence in vaccination.
The minister condemned attacks and intimidation against polio workers and called for collective efforts to protect frontline teams working on vaccination campaigns. His remarks underscored a persistent challenge for the programme: even as case numbers fall, the safety of the workers delivering doses in communities remains a central concern for the government.
Health Minister Mustafa Kamal praised polio workers, provincial governments and field staff, but said the decline in cases did not mean the campaign could end. The caution reflects the view among officials that the remaining transmission is concentrated in a small number of areas where immunity gaps and access problems persist.
Representatives from the World Bank and UNICEF welcomed the reduction in cases. UNICEF said the upcoming campaign would provide an opportunity to concentrate on areas considered to be at highest risk and build on recent progress, a strategy that officials hope will further shrink the footprint of the virus.
The sharp reduction in reported cases marks a significant turnaround for a country that has long been one of the last global reservoirs of poliovirus. Environmental surveillance, which tests sewage samples for traces of the virus, is a key indicator of how widely the pathogen is circulating, and officials pointed to the fall in positivity as a sign that transmission is being squeezed.
Concluding the meeting, Prof. Ahsan Iqbal said the results reflected a promising trajectory and demonstrated a whole-of-government commitment to making Pakistan polio-free. He said polio teams must be enabled to reach every child and that no area should remain beyond the campaign’s reach. He assured frontline personnel that they would not be left alone in carrying out their responsibilities and that the government and the country’s security apparatus would stand firmly behind them.
With a new nationwide vaccination drive under way and partners aligned behind the push, the coming months will test whether the decline seen so far can be sustained and translated into the complete interruption of poliovirus transmission that officials have pledged to achieve.
Source: ARY News