THE eighth polio case of 2026, involving a 13-month-old girl from Khyber’s Bara tehsil, raises an important question for Pakistan’s eradication programme: how much does it learn from each child who becomes infected? Six of this year’s eight cases have emerged in KP, while sewage samples from the Peshawar-Khyber corridor continue to test positive. The virus is circulating despite repeated campaigns. The latest drive, running from Nov 2 to 8, aims to vaccinate nearly 24m children in 97 districts. Such efforts are essential, and the fall in cases this year is encouraging. But the programme must also explain why infections continue to surface in places where vaccination has been repeatedly undertaken. Was the child missed during earlier rounds? Were doses incomplete, or did the family move between districts? Did local surveillance identify the danger early enough? These questions must be investigated without assigning blame to families or front-line workers before the facts are known.

There is a wider issue of accountability. The authorities announce campaign targets and impressive vaccination totals, but the public hears far less about what investigations uncover after a confirmed case. Health managers should publish clear findings on vaccination histories, gaps in coverage, and the corrective steps taken. Positive environmental samples should trigger documented follow-up in affected neighbourhoods, with results reviewed before the next campaign. This would help distinguish problems of access from weaknesses in delivery, and direct resources where they are needed most. Routine immunisation at clinics must also be reinforced so that a child’s protection does not depend entirely on the next emergency drive. Balochistan’s absence of reported cases since November 2024 is welcome, though continuing transmission across the Afghan border makes vigilance necessary. Pakistan has already shown that it can mobilise millions of doses and thousands of vaccinators. It now needs to demonstrate that lessons from every infection are being used to prevent the next one.

Published in Dawn, November 3rd, 2026