ISLAMABAD: Poliovirus has been detected in environmental samples collected from 26 districts of the all four provinces.
According to health ministry officials, it is the first time in 2025 that the virus has been found in environmental samples across the country.
The officials Sources revealed that sewage samples collected from January 6 to 15 tested positive for poliovirus in 26 districts. The affected districts include 15 from Sindh, 5 from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and 3 each from Balochistan and Punjab.
The detection of wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) in sewage samples is a worrisome, as it indicates the presence of the virus in the environment.
On the other hand, the government has planned the first nationwide anti-polio campaign of 2025 from February.
According the proposed plan, the anti-polio drive will be launched from February 3 to 9 to immunize over 4.54 million children across the country.
The official said that a three-day campaign with two additional catch-up days will be carried out in general areas of the country.
A five-day campaign followed by two catch-up days, featuring community-based vaccinations and deployment of special mobile teams in the sensitive areas, sources within NEOC said.
In 2024, Pakistan reported 73 polio cases and collected over 480 polio-positive sewage samples nationwide, underscoring the critical need for comprehensive vaccination campaigns.
The Pakistan Polio Program conducts multiple mass vaccination drives in a year, bringing the vaccine to children at their doorsteps, while the Expanded Program on Immunization provides vaccinations against 12 childhood disease free of charge at health facilities.
The year’s first Polio vaccination campaign is scheduled to be conducted nationwide from February 3- 9, 2025.
It is crucial for parents to ensure vaccination for all their children under the age of five to keep them protected.
