New Polio Case Detected in Southern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
September 1, 2025
Pakistan has reported a new polio case in southern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), bringing the country’s total for 2025 to 24 cases.
The National Institute of Health (NIH) confirmed that a 20-month-old girl from Union Council Ping A in District Tank has been diagnosed with the virus. This is the 14th case reported from southern KP this year, highlighting ongoing challenges in eradicating polio from the region.
Health officials noted that the child, belonging to the Bettani tribe, has not traveled recently, indicating local circulation of the virus. Security concerns in areas like Tank, North and South Waziristan, and neighboring tribal regions continue to restrict vaccination efforts.
In response, a nationwide polio campaign launched today aims to vaccinate over 28 million children under five across 99 districts, including KP, Sindh, Punjab, Gilgit-Baltistan, Azad Jammu & Kashmir, and the federal capital. Over 240,000 polio workers are participating in the drive.
In KP, the first phase covers 19 districts, targeting 5.7 million children, with a second phase scheduled to begin September 15. Officials stress that reaching children in security-compromised areas remains critical to stopping the spread of the virus.
