A new case of polio has been reported in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, bringing the total number of polio cases in Pakistan to 14 this year. According to the National Emergency Operation Centre (NEOC), the recent case involves a 19-month-old child from North Waziristan who has been confirmed to have the wild polio virus (WPV1).
So far in 2025, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has reported 8 cases, Sindh has reported 4, and there have been 1 case each from Punjab and Gilgit-Baltistan. In response to the rise in polio cases, a special anti-polio campaign will soon be launched in 11 union councils of North Waziristan.
The NEOC has urged parents to ensure their children are vaccinated against polio to protect them from this dangerous disease. Additionally, Federal Health Minister Syed Mustafa Kamal has announced that in light of polio cases in children over the age of five, the government has decided to extend the polio vaccination program to children up to 15 years old. The campaign will initially include 15-year-olds in Karachi, Peshawar, Lahore, and southern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The new target for the complete eradication of polio in Pakistan is set for December 2026.
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