ISLAMABAD: A new case of poliovirus has been reported in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, bringing the total number of cases this year to 12.

According to the Regional Reference Laboratory for Polio Eradication at the National Institute of Health (NIH), the victim was a 33-month-old male child from union council Shamsikhel in Bannu.

A lab official said this was the sixth case of polio reported from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa this year.

Of the remaining six cases, four were reported from Sindh and one each from Punjab and Gilgit-Baltistan.

As per the lab official, the victim had weakness in both lower limbs.

The child had no significant travel history and received two doses of polio vaccine during routine immunisation but IPV (injectable vaccine) was not administered.

Bannu lies in the southern region of KP, which has been an area of concern due to access constraints and challenges in conducting house-to-house vaccination.

“These barriers result in missed opportunities, leaving thousands of children unvaccinated and vulnerable to poliovirus,” the lab official said.

In 2025, the Pakistan Polio Eradication Programme has conducted three nationwide campaigns—in February, April and May—reaching over 45 million children.

“This progress reflects the strong coordination among all partners and the trust of parents and communities across the country,” the official said, adding that challenges in some areas, including south KP, “continued to hinder full coverage”.

Despite the challenges, the government is hopeful of controlling the virus, which remains endemic only in Pakistan and Afghanistan.

On Thursday, Federal Minister for Health Syed Mustafa Kamal claimed there had been a 99 per cent decline in polio cases.

“Polio eradication remains top priority of the government of Pakistan, and we are fully committed to achieving a polio-free future for our children,” the health minister said.

Published in Dawn, June 21st, 2025