DI KHAN: The Regional Reference Laboratory for Polio Eradication at the National Institute of Health has verified the first case of wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) for the year 2025. The case was confirmed on January 22, 2025, marking its onset on January 7, 2025.

According to a statement by Pakistan Polio Eradication Programme, DI Khan, a district in South Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, reported 11 polio cases in 2024. The previous year saw a total of 73 polio cases across various regions, with Balochistan recording 27 cases, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Sindh each reporting 22, and Punjab and Islamabad reporting one case each.

Polio, a disease that causes paralysis and lacks a cure, requires multiple doses of the oral polio vaccine and a complete routine vaccination schedule for children under five to ensure high immunity. The Pakistan Polio Program conducts several mass vaccination initiatives annually, offering vaccines at children’s homes. Additionally, the Expanded Program on Immunization provides free vaccinations against 12 childhood diseases at health facilities.

Given the current polio outbreak, it is vital for parents to vaccinate their children under five to protect them from the disease.

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