• As robust poliovirus surveillance continues in Pakistan, 35 environmental (sewage) samples collected from 32 districts between April 7 and April 24, were tested at the Regional Reference Laboratory for Polio Eradication at the National Institute of Health Islamabad.
  • Of these 35 samples, 24 samples tested negative with no poliovirus found, while 11 samples tested positive.
  • Negative Samples: Samples collected from Kotli, Muzaffarabad, Barkhan, Gwadar, Hub, Kech, Khuzdar, Killa Saifullah, Lasbela, Mastung, Nasirabad, Gilgit, Attock, Bahawalpur, Gujrat, Jhang, Khenawal, Lahore, Mianwali, Okara, Sahiwal, and Sargodha tested negative with no poliovirus detected.
  • Positive Samples: The lab confirmed detection of wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) in sewage samples of Chaman, Dukki, Quetta, Usta Muhammad, South Waziristan Lower, South Waziristan Upper, Lahore, Bahawalnagar, DG Khan, Multan and Hyderabad.
  • The Programme is implementing a rigorous vaccination schedule to protect children from paralytic polio and interrupt virus transmission. Thanks to high-quality campaigns since September 2024, polio cases nationwide have declined substantially.
  • The second nationwide Polio vaccination campaign of 2025 was successfully conducted across the country from April 21 to 27, achieving the target of vaccinating 45.4 million children under the age of five. This remarkable milestone was made possible through the collective efforts of frontline polio workers, the Government of Pakistan, law enforcement agencies, health officials, and, most importantly, the commitment of parents who ensured their children received the vaccine.
  • The next nationwide campaign is scheduled from May 26 to June 1, aiming to vaccinate 45.4 million children under the age of five across the country. These back-to-back nationwide campaigns in April and May will help boost children's immunity and further limit virus circulation in the environment.
  • The Programme urges all parents to vaccinate their children against polio every time the vaccine is offered. Repeated vaccination strengthens children’s immunity and protects them from the crippling poliovirus.
  • It is the prime responsibility of parents and community members to ensure that no child in their homes or neighbourhoods is left unvaccinated. Every missed child is at risk and can contribute to the continued spread of the poliovirus. Protecting children from polio is a shared duty and starts with timely vaccination.