Environmental samples from 18 districts across Pakistan have tested positive for poliovirus, the National Emergency Operation Centre (NEOC) reported on Monday.
Pakistan, along with Afghanistan, remains one of the last two countries in the world where polio is still endemic. Despite global eradication efforts, challenges such as security concerns, vaccine hesitancy, and misinformation have hindered progress in the fight against the virus.
According to the NEOC statement, “38 environmental sewage samples collected from 31 districts between April 7 and April 17 were tested at the Regional Reference Laboratory for Polio Eradication at the National Institute of Health, Islamabad.” The results confirmed the presence of wild poliovirus type 1 in sewage samples from various locations, including Loralai, Quetta, Zhob, Islamabad, Abbottabad, Bannu, DI Khan, Peshawar, Tank, North Waziristan, Lahore, Rawalpindi, Badin, Jamshoro, Hyderabad, Kashmore, Karachi, and Sukkur.
However, samples taken from Noshki, Sibi, Islamabad, Charsadda, Lower Dir, Mansehra, Swat, Faisalabad, Gujranwala, and Rajanpur tested negative for the virus, according to the NEOC.
The NEOC emphasized that the Polio Programme is actively implementing a strict vaccination schedule to protect children from paralytic polio and to stop the virus from spreading. The statement noted that thanks to high-quality campaigns initiated since September 2024, polio cases across the country have decreased.
Additionally, the second nationwide polio vaccination campaign of 2025 took place from April 21 to April 27, vaccinating 45.4 million children under the age of five. The campaign’s success was attributed to the combined efforts of polio workers, the Government of Pakistan, law enforcement agencies, health officials, and especially the commitment of parents ensuring their children received the vaccine.
The next nationwide polio vaccination drive is scheduled from May 26 to June 1, aiming to vaccinate another 45.4 million children under five.
The NEOC urged all parents to ensure their children are vaccinated against polio every time the opportunity arises, stating, “Repeated vaccination boosts children’s immunity and protects them from the debilitating poliovirus.”
The statement also highlighted the importance of parents and community members in ensuring no child is left unvaccinated, as missed vaccinations could contribute to the ongoing spread of the virus. Protecting children from polio is a collective responsibility that starts with timely immunization.
In a related development, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Emergency Operations Centre reported an increase in vaccination coverage from 93% during February’s campaign to 98% in April. Additionally, over 800,000 children were vaccinated during a week-long anti-polio drive in Rawalpindi district that ended on April 27.
