Pakistan nears polio eradication after major breakthrough in 2025

Pakistan recorded significant progress in its fight against polio in 2025, with the number of reported cases dropping sharply from 74 in 2024 to 30 this year, according to the National Emergency Operations Centre (NEOC), 24NewsHD TV channel reported on Wednesday.

Health authorities said no new polio case has been reported anywhere in the country since September, marking a major milestone in the national eradication drive. The NEOC added that Balochistan and Punjab have remained polio-free for nearly a year, reflecting sustained improvements in immunisation coverage and surveillance.

During 2025, six high-quality nationwide anti-polio campaigns were successfully carried out, reaching children in high-risk and hard-to-access areas. In the most recent national campaign, more than 98 percent of targeted children across the country were vaccinated.

Officials noted that the number of children missed during vaccination drives declined by 18 percent compared to the previous campaign, indicating improved planning, monitoring, and community engagement.

The NEOC attributed these gains to strong government leadership, enhanced institutional coordination, and the combined efforts of frontline health workers and security agencies, whose cooperation ensured safe and uninterrupted vaccination activities.

Increased involvement of local communities, religious leaders, and the media has also helped strengthen public trust in the polio programme, officials said, countering misinformation and resistance to vaccination.

With the number of cases at its lowest level in years, Pakistan is now intensifying decisive measures to achieve complete polio eradication in 2026, the National EOC said, expressing optimism that the country is nearing a historic public health milestone.

Reporter: Babar Shehzad Turk