Polio Surveillance in Pakistan

Tracking the poliovirus through environmental sewage testing, advanced genetic analysis, and active clinical surveillance across a nationwide network.

Sampling Sites

115 Sites

Across Pakistan

Monitored Cities

53 Cities

Active weekly testing

Core Reservoirs

18 Cities

High-priority targets

WHO Laboratories

2 Labs

High-security genome typing

1. Sewage Testing & Early Warning

To stop polio, the programme doesn't just wait for children to show symptoms. Wastewater samples are systematically collected from designated open sewage channels in major cities and analyzed at our state-of-the-art laboratories.

If poliovirus genetic material is found in a sample, it serves as an early warning that the virus is silently circulating in the community. This allows local health departments to deploy vaccinators immediately, creating a wall of immunity before clinical paralysis cases can emerge.

2. World-Class WHO Laboratories

Pakistan has established two high-level polio reference laboratories certified directly by the World Health Organization. These facilities conduct molecular sequencing to determine the exact strain active in each area (Wild Polio Type 1, cVDPV1, cVDPV2).

By tracking genetic signatures, scientists can map the virus's movement patterns and link environmental detections to specific geographic locations or cross-border travel corridors.

3. The 18 Core Reservoir Cities

Surveillance data has pinpointed 18 high-risk cities where transmission is most resilient. These areas receive priority resource allocation during vaccination campaigns.

Sindh
KarachiHyderabad
Punjab
RawalpindiLahore
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP)
PeshawarMardanBannuD.I. KhanSwabiKohatAbbottabad
Balochistan
QuettaPishinKilla AbdullahLoralaiSibi
Gilgit-Baltistan
Skardu
Azad Jammu & Kashmir (AJK)
Muzaffarabad

Case Tracking

Check the latest validated statistics and district-wise case breakdowns across Pakistan.

View District-Wise Cases

Early Action

Environmental monitoring shows that the virus can travel quickly through major transit corridors. Always ensure your children are vaccinated during every door-to-door campaign.