The environmental samples collected from 18 districts throughout the country have been positive for poliovirus, the National Emergency Operation Center (NEOC) said on Monday.
Pakistan is one of the last two countries in the world, along with Afghanistan, where polyomyelitis remains endemic. Despite global efforts to eradicate virus, challenges such as safety problems, vaccine vaccine and erroneous information have slowed progress.
“[A total of] 38 Environmental [sewage] The samples collected from 31 districts between April 7 and April 17 were tested in the Regional Reference Laboratory for the eradication of polio at the National Health Institute, Islamabad, ”said the Neoc statement.
“The laboratory confirmed the detection of wild poliovirus type 1 in wastewater samples of Lorealai, Quetta, Zhob, Islamabad, Abbottabad, Bannu, Di Khan, Peshawar, Tank, North Wazirist, Lahore, Rawalpindi, Badin, Jamshor, Hyderabad, Kashmore, Kashmore, Karachi and Sukkur, “he added.
The samples collected from Noshki, Sibi, Islamabad, Charsadda, Lower Dir, Mansehra, Swat, Faisalabad, Gujranwala and Rajanpur gave negative with any detected poliovirus, according to the NEOC.
“The Polyomyelitis program is implementing a rigorous vaccination schedule to protect children from paralitic polyomyelitis and interrupt the transmission of the virus. Thanks to high quality campaigns since September 2024, polio cases throughout the country have decreased,” the statement continued.
He added that the second vaccination campaign of polyomyelitis throughout the country of 2025 was carried out successfully throughout the country from April 21 to 27, “achieving the goal of vaccinating 45.4 million children under five years old.”
“This remarkable milestone was possible thanks to the collective efforts of the workers of first -line polyomyelitis, the Pakistan government, the agencies of application of the law, the health officials and, most importantly, the commitment of the parents who assured that their children received the vaccine.”
The next national campaign is scheduled from May 26 to June 1, with the aim of vaccinating 45.4 million children under five years throughout the country.
The statement urged all parents to vaccinate their children against the polio every time the vaccine is offered, adding: “Repeated vaccination strengthens the immunity of children and protects them from paralyzing poliovirus.”
He added that it is the main responsibility of parents and community members to ensure that no child in their homes or neighborhoods is without vaccination. Each lost child is at risk and can contribute to the continuous propagation of poliovirus. Protecting polio children is a shared duty and begins with timely vaccination.
In a separate development, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa emergency operations center has improved vaccination coverage of 93 percent in the polio campaign from February to 98 percent in April in the province, according to data.
At the end of last month, more than 800,000 children were vaccinated during the anti-political campaign of a week that ended in the Rawalpindi district on April 27, health officials said.
