Dual threat for children as Pakistan reports over 60000 anti-polio vaccine refusals in…
Islamabad: It’s been 14 years since India began celebrating its remarkable and unbelievable achievement of becoming a polio-free country. The country achieved this through consistent efforts and a genuine door-to-door approach. On the other hand, the threat of polio still hovers over the children of neighbouring Pakistan, as the country reported more than 60,000 cases of polio vaccine refusal during its nationwide anti-polio campaign, which was held between April 21 and 27, ARY News reported, citing official sources.
As per the report, a total of 60,906 polio vaccine refusals were reported during the nationwide drive. Notably, this was Pakistan’s second national polio eradication drive of 2025.
The Sindh region of Pakistan reported 39,073 cases of vaccine refusals, which is the largest in the country. Out of 39,073 refusals, over 37,000 vaccine refusals were reported from Karachi alone.
Balochistan is the second in the list where over 3,500 vaccine refusal cases were reported, while Khyber Pakhtunkhwa documented 0.4 percent vaccine refusal cases, as per the data.
Instances of parental refusal were also witnessed in Punjab and Islamabad, ARY News reported.
Pakistan’s fight against polio is hampered by widespread vaccine hesitancy. A new polio case has been reported, raising the 2025 total to thirteen. The WHO describes polio as a highly contagious viral disease spread primarily through faecal-oral transmission, or less commonly, via contaminated food or water.
Polio is an incurable disease that can lead to paralysis or death. Vaccination, specifically multiple doses of the oral polio vaccine and completion of the recommended childhood immunisation schedule, is the best preventative measure.
The dreadful disease affects children who are under 5 years of age. According to WHO, individuals of any age who didn’t receive the polio vaccine can contract the diseas,e and there is no cure if a person is affected by polio. The disease can only be prevented and that is why the vaccination is very important.
Notably, Pakistan and Afghanistan are two polio-endemic nations in the world.
Pakistan saw a consistent yearly decline in polio cases until a recent resurgence.
Polio eradication efforts in Pakistan face ongoing obstacles. Southern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province presents a significant challenge due to difficulties reaching communities and vaccinating children door-to-door, resulting in persistent unvaccinated populations at risk of infection.
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