Polio Cases in Pakistan Reach 70

A recent report indicates that the polio case count in Pakistan has risen to 70 as of January 10, 2025, Anadolu Agency reported. Health authorities confirmed a new case involving a boy in Karachi, identified by the National Institute of Health’s Regional Reference Laboratory for Polio Eradication, according to Dawn newspaper.

In response to the increasing number of cases, the government is intensifying efforts to control the disease’s spread, with a vaccination campaign scheduled from February 3 to February 9. Since 2014, the World Health Organization has mandated that all travelers from Pakistan present a valid polio vaccination certificate prior to leaving the country.

Vaccination efforts have faced significant challenges, especially in the border regions of Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where militant groups have targeted polio workers and police escorts. These groups often view the vaccination campaigns as part of a broader anti-Muslim and Western agenda, leading to death threats against many vaccinators, particularly women. Since 2012, nearly 150 individuals involved in the polio initiative have been killed across Pakistan.