ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has reported two more cases of polio from Sindh, raising the tally for the current year to 29.

According to an official of the Regional Reference Laboratory for Polio Eradication at the National Institute of Health (NIH), the lab has confirmed two new poliovirus cases in Sindh, one from District Badin and the other from District Thatta.

“With these two cases, both girls, the total number of polio cases in Pakistan in 2025 has reached 29 — including 18 from Khyber Pakh­tunkhwa, nine from Sindh, and one each from Punjab and Gilgit-Baltistan,” the official 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 the tim­ely completion of all routine immunisations.

“The next nationwide polio vaccination cam­p­aign will be held from October 13 – 19, aiming to protect around 45.4 million children under the age of five. During the campaign, Vitamin A will also be administered alongside OPV to boost children’s immunity levels. More than 400,000 dedicated frontline workers will go door-to-door to ensure that every eligible child rec­e­ives the essential protection,” the official added.

Published in Dawn, September 30th, 2025