Poliovirus Found in Sewage Across 18 Districts
Nationwide Polio Vaccination Campaign Set for May 26–June 1 to Protect 45.4 Million Children
Environmental sewage samples from 18 districts across Pakistan have tested positive for wild poliovirus type 1, indicating the continued presence of poliovirus in these areas.
The affected districts include Loralai, Quetta, Zhob, Islamabad, Abbottabad, Bannu, DI Khan, Peshawar, Tank, North Waziristan, Lahore, Rawalpindi, Badin, Jamshoro, Hyderabad, Kashmore, Karachi, and Sukkur.
Pakistan remains one of the last two countries globally where polio is still endemic, alongside Afghanistan. Despite ongoing eradication efforts, challenges such as security concerns, vaccine hesitancy, and misinformation have hindered progress.
“[A total of] 38 environmental [sewage] samples collected from 31 districts between April 7 and April 17 were tested at the Regional Reference Laboratory for Polio Eradication at the National Institute of Health, Islamabad,” the statement from the NEOC said.
“The lab confirmed detection of wild poliovirus type 1 in sewage samples of Loralai, Quetta, Zhob, Islamabad, Abbottabad, Bannu, DI Khan, Peshawar, Tank, North Waziristan, Lahore, Rawalpindi, Badin, Jamshoro, Hyderabad, Kashmore, Karachi, and Sukkur,” it added.
In response, Pakistan’s Polio Programme has been conducting nationwide vaccination campaigns.
The second nationwide polio vaccination campaign of 2025 was successfully conducted from April 21 to 27, vaccinating 45.4 million children under the age of five.
The next nationwide campaign is scheduled from May 26 to June 1, 2025, aiming again to vaccinate 45.4 million children under five across the country.
Authorities emphasize the importance of vaccinating every child during these campaigns to strengthen immunity and prevent the spread of poliovirus.
Parents and communities are urged to ensure no child is left unvaccinated, as each missed child poses a risk of continued virus transmission
