The National Institute of Health (NIH) has confirmed a new polio case from Hyderabad, Sindh, raising Pakistan’s total number of cases in 2025 to 27.

According to the National Emergency Operation Center (NEOC), Sindh has now reported seven cases this year, while Khyber Pakhtunkhwa remains the hardest-hit province with 18. Punjab and Gilgit-Baltistan have each recorded one case.

Polio, a crippling and incurable disease, can cause lifelong disability. Health officials stress that vaccination remains the only effective protection against the virus.

The NEOC has urged parents to ensure their children receive polio drops during every campaign. A nationwide drive is scheduled for October 13 to 19, during which more than 400,000 polio workers will go door to door to vaccinate children.

Officials emphasized the role of parents, communities, teachers, religious scholars, and the media in ensuring the success of the campaign.

Global concerns over eradication efforts

The confirmation of new cases comes shortly after the Independent Monitoring Board (IMB) issued a stark warning on Pakistan’s polio eradication efforts.

In its report published on September 22, 2025, IMB noted that despite 37 years of global efforts and $22 billion spent, the fight against polio has reached a critical stage.

The report, titled “The Glass Mountain”, cautioned that persistent viral transmission, geopolitical disruptions, and financial constraints are threatening the survival of the eradication program.

IMB Chairman Sir Liam Donaldson, in a letter to WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said:

“After initial optimism in 2023, the harsh reality of the pandemic resurgence has emerged, as historical reservoirs of the virus, including Pakistan and Afghanistan, have been re-infected.”