Daijiworld Media Network – Islamabad

Islamabad, Jul 2: Pakistan’s struggle against the crippling poliovirus continues, with one more case confirmed from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, raising the total number of cases this year to 14 across the country. Health officials on Tuesday said the latest case involves a 19-month-old boy from North Waziristan.

According to the Regional Reference Laboratory for Polio Eradication at the National Institute of Health (NIH), Islamabad, the case adds to eight total cases reported from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province in 2025 alone.

Earlier this year, four polio cases were detected in Sindh, and one case each in Punjab and Gilgit-Baltistan. Despite repeated nationwide campaigns and global support, Pakistan and Afghanistan remain the last two countries where polio remains endemic.

Health authorities highlighted security concerns, vaccine hesitancy, and misinformation as major obstacles hampering eradication efforts.

The new case marks the second confirmed polio infection in KP in just one week, following the confirmation of an 18-month-old child in Tank district on June 27.

In a determined push against the disease, the government launched three nationwide polio drives in February, April, and May 2025, targeting over 45 million children under five years of age. Authorities remain optimistic, with a firm vow to eliminate polio from Pakistan by the end of this year.

Polio is an incurable, highly contagious disease that primarily affects children and can cause lifelong paralysis or even death. Oral polio vaccines administered through multiple doses remain the only shield against the virus.

Health workers and officials continue to urge parents across the country to ensure timely vaccinations for their children and help Pakistan achieve its long-standing goal of becoming polio-free.