Pakistan’s polio tally has risen to six in 2026 after a seven-year-old boy in Khyber district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa tested positive for the virus, health authorities said.
The National Emergency Operations Centre (NEOC) for Polio Eradication confirmed that the child is from Union Council Ghundi-A in Jamrud tehsil.
The latest infection takes the total number of polio cases reported in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa this year to five. Bannu has reported three cases, while one case each has been detected in North Waziristan and Khyber.
District officials said the case is the first polio infection reported in Khyber since 2019.
Special vaccination campaign planned
Khyber Deputy Commissioner Shahid Ali said a special vaccination campaign would be launched in high-risk areas following confirmation of the case.
The Pakistan Polio Eradication Programme has also begun a comprehensive investigation to determine the circumstances surrounding the infection and assess the risk of further transmission.
Authorities are planning additional measures to reach children in vulnerable areas, including the use of both oral and injectable polio vaccines for older children and efforts to strengthen routine immunisation.
The latest case has renewed concerns about continued poliovirus transmission in parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa despite repeated vaccination campaigns.
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Polio transmission remains a concern
According to the NEOC, Pakistan conducted four large-scale polio vaccination campaigns during 2026, protecting more than 45 million children multiple times. Targeted oral and injectable vaccination campaigns have also been conducted in areas considered particularly vulnerable to transmission.
The national polio programme says overall transmission has declined, but the virus continues to circulate in parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, particularly the province’s southern districts and the Khyber-Peshawar block.
Pakistan recorded 31 polio cases in 2025, with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa accounting for 20 of them. Pakistan and neighbouring Afghanistan remain the only two countries where wild poliovirus transmission continues.
Polio is a highly contagious disease that can cause permanent paralysis and, in severe cases, death. While there is no cure for the disease, vaccination can provide effective protection against infection and its complications.
Health authorities have urged parents and caregivers to ensure that children receive all recommended polio vaccine doses in addition to routine immunisations.
Authorities urge communities to support vaccination
The NEOC described polio eradication as a collective responsibility and highlighted the role of frontline workers, parents, community leaders and the media in ensuring that every child is vaccinated.
The programme also urged communities to help counter misinformation about vaccination and support efforts to reach children in areas where access remains challenging.
Officials said sustained vaccination and routine immunisation would remain essential to stopping transmission and moving Pakistan closer to becoming polio-free.
