Islamabad [Pakistan], June 21 (ANI): Pakistan has reported its 12th polio case of 2025 after a new infection was confirmed in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, according to ARY News.
The National Institute of Health stated on Friday that the latest patient is a 33-month-old boy from Shamsi Khel Union Council in Bannu, a region that has frequently reported polio cases in the past. This new case brings the province’s total for the year to six, making it the most affected region in the country.
Of the 12 total polio cases recorded across Pakistan this year, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa accounts for six, Sindh has reported four, and Punjab and Pakistan-occupied Gilgit-Baltistan have reported one case each.
In response to the continued detection of new cases, the National Emergency Operations Centre (NEOC) reported that the ongoing anti-polio vaccination campaign is proceeding with full momentum. According to NEOC’s latest update, 97 percent of the targeted children across Pakistan received the polio vaccine during a six-day immunization drive.
The provincial breakdown of vaccine coverage is encouraging: Punjab and Sindh achieved 97 percent coverage, while Khyber Pakhtunkhwa led with 98 percent, and Balochistan followed at 97 percent. The capital, Islamabad, successfully met its vaccination targets, NEOC confirmed.
Officials also noted that a synchronized anti-polio campaign between Pakistan and Afghanistan is progressing successfully, reflecting efforts to eradicate the disease across the region.
Despite these efforts, the emergence of new cases—particularly in high-risk areas like Khyber Pakhtunkhwa—underscores the continued challenges in completely eliminating polio in Pakistan, one of the last two countries in the world where the disease remains endemic. (ANI)
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