PESHAWAR: Efforts to eradicate polio in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa remain a challenge as the province records seven new cases of the virus in 2025, the highest number reported by any province in Pakistan so far this year.
According to the Emergency Operation Centre (EOC) for polio, the latest figures bring the Countrywide count to 13 cases. The newly confirmed infections in KP include three from Bannu and one each from Tank, Lakki Marwat, Torghar, and Dera Ismail Khan districts. The EOC points to the persistence of the virus to repeated obstacles that continue to hamper its vaccination campaign. During the February vaccination campaign, 19,070 parents refused to allow administration of the oral polio vaccine to their children, while 97,743 children under the age of five missed vaccination due to their absence during home visits by health workers.
The missed and refusal cases represent 07% of the 6.45 million children targeted across the province. Despite ongoing efforts, authorities continue to face resistance and logistical issues in high-risk districts, complicating the mission to eliminate the disease and protect children from permanent disabilities.
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