The Kabul Tribune (KT) — A fourth polio case of 2026 has been reported in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Bannu district, with the latest infection detected in a child from Nurar Union Council in Miryan tehsil, Pakistani media outlet Dawn News reported Friday.
The National Emergency Operations Centre for Polio Eradication confirmed the case and urged parents and caregivers to ensure their children receive polio vaccinations during the upcoming nationwide door-to-door campaign scheduled for Sept. 21-27.
The government-led Polio Eradication Initiative said the campaign aims to protect nearly 31 million children across the country, including those in southern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Three of the four polio cases reported so far this year have been detected in southern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where security-related access restrictions have prevented vaccination teams from consistently reaching children.
The restrictions have resulted in some children missing critical vaccinations, allowing the wild poliovirus to continue circulating in the region.
“Thanks to the safe and effective polio vaccine, Pakistan has reduced polio cases by 99.8%, from an estimated 20,000 cases in the early 1990s to 31 in 2025,” the polio program said in a statement. “So far in 2026, four cases have been reported, mostly concentrated in southern KP.”
The program said that although overall poliovirus transmission in the country has declined since 2025, transmission remains persistent in southern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
According to the statement, vaccination teams have been unable to consistently reach children in Nurar Union Council since 2025 because of insecurity.
“This new case underscores the urgent need to maintain strong surveillance and vaccination efforts nationwide, because no child is safe from polio until every child is protected,” the statement said.
Polio is a highly contagious and incurable disease that can cause lifelong paralysis and, in some cases, death. It can be prevented through safe and effective vaccines, which have been used in 195 countries, including all Muslim-majority countries.
The first polio case of the year was reported in Sindh province in a 4-year-old child from Bello Union Council in Sujawal district. The other two cases were reported from Bannu and North Waziristan.
Pakistan has conducted three large-scale polio vaccination campaigns so far this year. The next national campaign is scheduled for Sept. 21-27 and aims to protect nearly 31 million children, including those in southern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Security concerns in southern KP continue to pose a major challenge to vaccination efforts, with health authorities stressing that sustained access to children is essential to stopping transmission of the virus.
