Islamabad: In a continued effort to eradicate polio, Pakistan’s health authorities have detected wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) in sewage samples from 11 districts, according to recent testing conducted at the Regional Reference Laboratory for Polio Eradication at the National Institute of Health. The samples were collected from 15 districts between January 24 and February 4, with positive results from Pishin, Chaman, Quetta, Islamabad, Ghotki, Hyderabad, Kambar, Karachi West, Larkana, Karachi Keamari, and Sukkur.

According to a statement by Pakistan Polio Eradication Programme, the detection has prompted the implementation of a rigorous vaccination schedule aimed at protecting children from paralytic polio and interrupting the virus’s transmission. The first nationwide polio campaign of the year successfully reached over 45 million children earlier this month.

Currently, a focused campaign is underway in Karachi and Quetta Division to vaccinate nearly 1 million children using both injectable and oral polio vaccines. This initiative aligns with the broader Big Catch-Up campaign, which seeks to immunize children against 12 preventable childhood diseases.

Additionally, a targeted vaccination effort from February 24-28 aims to vaccinate over 0.66 million children in 104 union councils bordering Afghanistan or hosting Afghan refugee populations, mitigating the risk of cross-border and internal virus transmission.

Since September 2024, multiple high-quality mass vaccination campaigns have contributed to a decline in polio cases, with only three cases reported so far in 2025. However, the Polio Programme emphasizes the importance of continued vigilance, urging parents to vaccinate their children at every opportunity to protect them from this disease.