Pakistan is facing a rise in poliovirus cases as 74 cases were reported in 2024. Of these, 27 were reported from Balochistan, 22 from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 23 from Sindh, and one each from Punjab and Islamabad. A second round of the big catch-up activity is currently underway in the country to vaccinate children up to 5 years old under the expanded programme on immunisation. The virus is transmitted by person-to-person spread mainly through the faecal-oral route or, less frequently, by a common vehicle (for example, contaminated water or food) and multiplies in the intestine. One in 200 infections leads to irreversible paralysis (usually in the legs) Among those paralysed, 5-10 per cent die when their breathing muscles become immobilised. The first nationwide polio campaign of 2025 concluded, with 99 per cent of the targets achieved across the country. More than 45 million children were administered the polio vaccine from February 3 to 9. A vaccination activity targeting more than 100 union councils bordering Afghanistan is scheduled from February 24 to 28, it said, adding that a total of 0.66 million children will be targeted for vaccination during this activity.
