Despite decreasing cases and some advancements, Pakistan remains one of the last countries struggling to eliminate polio due to security threats, vaccine hesitancy, and operational barriers that threaten global eradication targets.
Pakistan remains one of the world’s last two polio-endemic countries, and the virus is still proving difficult to eliminate despite years of vaccination drives, international support and repeated government pledges, according to the Express Tribune and Pakistan’s own eradication strategy. Wild poliovirus continues to circulate in Pakistan and Afghanistan, which health experts describe as a single epidemiological block because of cross-border movement and shared transmission risks.
The challenge is not only medical but operational. Pakistan’s polio programme says insecurity, vaccine hesitancy, refusals, boycotts and population movements continue to undermine efforts to reach every child. A recent study focused on south Khyber Pakhtunkhwa found that attacks on vaccination teams, community boycotts and local insecurity have forced delays, cancellations and weaker campaigns, prompting health workers to adapt with mobile teams, ring-fencing tactics and closer links to routine immunisation services.
Official claims of near-universal coverage also sit uneasily alongside evidence from the ground. The Express Tribune reported that almost one million children were missed in a single campaign and that more than 53,000 families refused polio drops. Health officials have spoken of vaccination levels near 98%, but routine immunisation estimates have been put as low as 60%, leaving many communities exposed. Continued traces of poliovirus in sewage samples suggest the virus is still circulating, while persistent gaps in coverage make outbreaks harder to prevent.
The human cost has also been severe. Since the 1990s, more than 200 polio workers and security personnel have been killed in attacks linked to vaccination campaigns, according to AP. The agency also reported that Pakistan recorded 30 polio infections in 2025, down from 74 the previous year, reflecting some progress even as the country remained vulnerable in hard-to-reach areas, especially in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Public health experts say the decline is encouraging, but warn that without stronger trust, better accountability and sustained access to isolated communities, eradication will remain elusive.
Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical judgment, advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
