Pakistan today recorded only one case of polio so far in 2026, a dramatic decline from previous years, prompting the prime minister to reaffirm the government”s resolve to completely eradicate the debilitating disease from the country.
The commitment was expressed by Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif during a high-level review meeting on polio eradication held in the capital today. The premier lauded the relentless work of polio teams and emphasised the need for sustained action to achieve a polio-free nation.
Officials at the briefing detailed a substantial drop in infections, with the single 2026 case from Sindh”s Sujawal District contrasting sharply with 31 cases recorded in 2025 and 74 cases in 2024.
It was noted that vast swathes of the country, including Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan, Islamabad, Gilgit-Baltistan, and Azad Jammu and Kashmir, have remained entirely free of the poliovirus this year.
The progress is further evidenced by a reduction in affected districts, which have decreased from 67 in early 2025 to just 23 in 2026. Nationwide immunisation campaign coverage has been maintained at a robust 98 percent.
The meeting was also informed of a forthcoming strategy to merge the Expanded Programme on Immunization with the Polio Eradication Initiative at both federal and provincial tiers. Additionally, efforts are underway to link and condition initiatives of the Benazir Income Support Programme with the national polio eradication drive.