- Three of four polio cases this year reported from Bannu division.
- Security concerns hamper polio teams’ access in Bannu UC.
- Nationwide anti-polio campaign to start from September 31.
Pakistan has reported its fourth polio case of the year, with the latest case detected in Bannu district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the National Emergency Operations Centre (NEOC) said on Friday.
According to the NEOC, the affected child is a resident of Nurar Union Council in the Miryan tehsil of Bannu.
The virus was detected in an eight-month-old child from Miryan tehsil of Bannu, said the health department.
Three of the four polio cases reported in Pakistan this year have emerged from Bannu division, officials said.
They said security concerns had made it difficult for polio teams to maintain regular access to children in Bannu division.
Polio teams have been unable to regularly reach children in Nurar Union Council since 2025, officials said.
They added that the continued circulation of poliovirus in southern KP was linked to children who had missed vaccination.
The NEOC said poliovirus transmission had declined across the country, but the risk remained in southern parts of KP.
Pakistan reported 31 polio cases in 2025, according to the NEOC.
The next nationwide anti-polio campaign will run from September 21 to 27, during which around 31 million children will be administered polio vaccine drops.
A day ago, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said that Pakistan is committed to achieving the shared goal of completely eradicating polio.
The prime minister made the remarks during his meeting with a delegation from the Gates Foundation in Islamabad. The delegation included representatives from the Gates Foundation, Kalpana Kochhar and Anita Zaidi.
“The national programme for polio eradication enjoys patronage at the highest level. The Gates Foundation has played a commendable role in eradicating polio, health, nutrition, financial inclusion, and the welfare of society’s vulnerable segments,” he added.
